Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

An Islamic scholar and Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah Mosque, Okene, Kogi State, Imam Murtadha Gusau, has called on politicians, traditional rulers, business leaders, wealthy individuals, government agencies, private sector operators and Muslim faithful to intensify acts of charity and sadaqah during the forthcoming Ramadan.

KANO FOCUS reports that the cleric made the call in his Friday sermon delivered on February 6, 2026, ahead of the 1447 AH Ramadan, stressing that giving charity during the holy month carries immense spiritual rewards and serves as a vital means of alleviating hardship among the poor, widows, orphans and other vulnerable groups.

Imam Gusau said several Prophetic traditions emphasise the virtues of charity in Ramadan, noting that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was most generous during the month and encouraged believers to give freely to those in need.

He cited Hadiths which describe charity as a means of extinguishing sins, protecting believers from Hellfire, and providing shade on the Day of Judgment. He also highlighted the special significance of Lailatul Qadr, during which acts of charity are rewarded more than deeds performed over a thousand months.

The cleric urged Muslims to go beyond public displays of wealth and lavish iftar gatherings, and instead focus on feeding the hungry, supporting widows and orphans, and assisting families struggling with basic needs.

According to him, feeding a fasting person attracts a reward equal to that of the fasting individual without diminishing the latter’s reward, describing it as one of the easiest ways to multiply blessings in Ramadan.

Imam Gusau outlined key areas where Muslims could direct their charitable giving, including payment of Zakat, provision of iftar meals, financial assistance to individuals facing hardship, support for internally displaced persons, prisoners and victims of conflict, as well as donations to Islamic educational and da’awah organisations.

He also emphasised the importance of Zakatul-Fitr, explaining that it serves as purification for the fasting person and a source of joy for the poor at the end of Ramadan.

The cleric further appealed for support for the Ramadan Feeding Programme of the Nagazi-Uvete Islamic Center, a non-profit humanitarian organisation based in Okene, Kogi State. He disclosed that the centre has, over the past 25 years, provided food and iftar meals to more than 10,000 needy families and orphans.

According to him, each food pack costs ₦2,000, and the centre aims to reach even more vulnerable families during the 2026 Ramadan season.

Imam Gusau stressed that trust and accountability remain central to the organisation’s activities, adding that charitable donations during Ramadan constitute sadaqah jariyah with lasting rewards in this world and the hereafter.

He concluded by praying for Allah’s acceptance of the donations of believers and urged Muslims to use the holy month as an opportunity to demonstrate compassion, unity and social responsibility.

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

A Nigerian-British cleric, Sheikh Mustapha Briggs, has urged Muslims to channel part of their Ramadan charity towards strengthening the healthcare system and reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria.

Cross section of participants

KANO FOCUS reports that Sheikh Briggs made the appeal during a one-day engagement with clerics and representatives of Islamic organisations organised by Every Pregnancy in collaboration with the African Centre of Excellence for Population Health and Policy (ACEPHAP), Bayero University, Kano.

Cross section of participants

The cleric said it was a religious priority for Muslims to mobilise resources to address maternal mortality, noting that such efforts align with Islamic principles of preserving life, lineage and intellect.

Some Participants at the event

He recalled the loss of his stepmother and her unborn child due to poor healthcare services in Nigeria, describing the incident as a personal tragedy that strengthened his resolve to support campaigns aimed at preventing avoidable maternal deaths.

Alhaji Ibrahim Galla

Also speaking, Ms Isra Chaker said Every Pregnancy is a coalition of over 50 faith-based organisations working together to raise awareness about the high rate of maternal deaths globally. She explained that Kano State was selected for the implementation of the project due to its high maternal and child mortality rates.

Ms Isra Chaker

According to her, the initiative would also focus on newborn care, immunisation and nutrition as part of efforts to improve overall maternal and child health outcomes in the state.

In her presentation, the Director of ACEPHAP, Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Hadiza Galadanchi, highlighted major causes of maternal deaths in Kano State based on findings from a social autopsy. She identified the high cost of medication and poor road infrastructure as key factors contributing to deaths during childbirth.

Prof. Hadiza Galadanchi

Prof. Galadanchi revealed that in some communities, pregnant women are forced to travel by canoe to reach healthcare facilities, while lack of bed spaces in hospitals poses a serious threat to safe delivery even when women manage to access medical care.

Alhaji Abdulkadir Salisu Kabara

She further observed that in some communities, families resort to Quranic inscriptions (rubutu) instead of taking pregnant women to hospitals, a practice she said contributes to preventable maternal deaths.

In his remarks, the Commissioner of the Kano State Zakkah and Hubsi Commission, Dr Ali Mustapha Quraysh, said Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had approved the employment of medical doctors of Kano State origin to address manpower shortages in the health sector.

Cross section of Islamic clerics

He disclosed that he recently participated in the recruitment of 2,000 health workers aimed at strengthening the state’s healthcare system.

Group picture

The engagement, titled “The Critical Role of the Nigerian Muslim Community in Reducing Preventable Maternal Deaths,” was attended by Imams of Juma’at mosques, representatives of Islamic charity foundations (waqf), academics, and other stakeholders.

Ibrahim Khalil

The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State, Professor Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, over an alleged ₦19.7 million bribery and fraud case.

KANO FOCUS reports that Bichi was arraigned on Thursday, February 5, 2026, before Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar of the Katsina State High Court on a five-count charge bordering on bribery.

He was docked alongside two other defendants, Lawal Tukur Mani and Aliyu Lawal Jari, who were alleged to have been used as conduits to receive the illicit payments.

One of the charges stated that Bichi, sometime in July 2023 in Katsina, while serving as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Dutsinma, allegedly obtained a bribe of ₦5 million from one Theophilus Ilechukwu of Goezek International Agency Nigeria Limited as gratification for the award of contracts for the supply of medical equipment and the furnishing of laboratories at the university.

The charge further alleged that the money was paid into an Access Bank account belonging to Aliyu Lawal Jari, an act said to be punishable under Section 79(a), (b) and (i) of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State, 2021.

The EFCC alleged that the first defendant obtained the bribes through the second and third defendants as kickbacks from contractors who were awarded various contracts by the Federal University, Dutsinma, during his tenure as Vice-Chancellor.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read in court.

Following their pleas, counsel to the prosecution, Salihu Sani, prayed the court to fix a trial date to enable the prosecution assemble its witnesses and present evidence.

Defence counsel, A. L. Yusuf and Raphael Henry, separately moved bail applications, urging the court to admit their clients to bail.

In his ruling, Justice Abubakar granted each of the defendants bail in the sum of ₦5 million with one surety in like sum. He subsequently adjourned the matter to March 12, 2026, for the commencement of trial.