The Emir of Potiskum, His Royal Highness Alhaji Umaru Bubaram Ibn Wuriwa Bauya, has urged Nigerian leaders to adopt a more inclusive approach to addressing insecurity, insisting that military operations alone cannot end the country’s security challenges.

The monarch also called on governments at all levels to tackle poverty, injustice and other socio-economic factors fuelling conflicts across the country.

Speaking on the state of the nation, the Emir described Nigeria’s diversity as one of its greatest assets.

“Nigeria is a complex and beautifully diverse country, blessed with over three hundred ethnic groups, each with its own customs and languages. Diversity should never be viewed as a weakness. It is our greatest strength. Every Nigerian deserves to feel a sense of belonging, which inherently inspires public cooperation for national development,” he said.

Concerning the current security challenges being experienced across the country, he maintained that the government must look beyond the use of force if lasting peace is to be achieved.

“Insecurity cannot be solved by force alone. Leaders must address the underlying socioeconomic causes of conflict with sincerity and justice,” the monarch said.

According to him, national leaders must see themselves as parents to every citizen regardless of ethnic, religious or political differences.

“A national leader must act like a good parent, listening to every child without discrimination, correcting mistakes with wisdom and ensuring everyone feels valued. When leaders put the welfare of the citizenry above personal interests, the nation will make meaningful progress,” he stated.

The Emir of Potiskum who also emphasised the importance of traditional institutions in promoting peace and preventing communal conflicts, stressed, “Because we live among the people, we understand their challenges firsthand. This uniquely positions us to advise the government, facilitate peaceful dialogue and resolve local issues before they escalate. Traditional rulers must champion community development, promote education, support economic activities and foster peace,” he insisted.

Ibn Wuriwa Bauya thus urged both political and traditional leaders to govern with a sense of justice, accountability, and sincerity, saying history would ultimately judge leaders by the positive impact they leave on their people rather than the offices they occupy.

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The Senate has clarified that the controversial provision prescribing penalties for preaching, hawking and trading inside commercial vehicles is not a fresh attempt to outlaw religious activities or street evangelism, but a long-standing provision of the Federal Road Safety Commission Act that has been in force since 2007.

The clarification follows widespread public outrage over the passage of the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes a N50,000 fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles.

The proposed legislation, which forms part of a broader review of the FRSC Act aimed at strengthening road safety enforcement and reducing road crashes, sparked criticism from Christian bodies, opposition parties, civil society groups and members of the public, many of whom argued that the provision was insensitive amid rising unemployment and worsening economic hardship.

In a statement issued on Monday, Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, clarified that the contentious provision had been misrepresented, insisting that the amendment neither introduced a fresh offence nor sought to prohibit preaching in public places.

He said, “The Senate has duly noticed public concerns on the purported proscription of preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle under the ongoing amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, No. 22, 2007.

“Pursuant to Section 10(4) of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007 and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR) 2012, preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are offences. The offences have been part of the Act before the current amendment.

“Entrenched as Item 36 in the Second Schedule of the Act, preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are not new provisions in our legal system.

“The provisions have been part of the Act as far back as 2007. However, it is now listed as Item 49, Second Schedule of the Act.”

The Senate stressed that the legislation was strictly targeted at promoting road safety and protecting commuters from distractions that could endanger lives.

“The Bill, therefore, does not outlaw preaching on the streets as some interests have claimed in different fora. It is about the safety of commuters and other road users and not intended to undermine any religious activity in the public space,” he added.

The Senate also dismissed reports linking the amendment to Bamidele, saying the legislation originated from the House of Representatives.

“The Bill is not an initiative of the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele. Rather, it is a concurrence bill first amended by the House of Representatives.

“As required by the 1999 Constitution, the Bill requires the concurrence of the Senate before it can become effective.

“The amendment process is still ongoing. In the spirit of democracy, stakeholders can channel their concerns to the appropriate institutions before the completion of the process,” he stated.

The clarification comes days after the Senate passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to strengthen road safety enforcement through stiffer penalties for traffic-related offences.

Apart from prescribing a N50,000 fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles, the bill proposes a N50,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment or both for motorists who refuse to cooperate with FRSC officials conducting roadside breath tests based on reasonable suspicion.

It also raises the penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating drugs from N5,000 to N100,000, with offenders facing up to two years’ imprisonment or both.

Similarly, the proposed legislation increases the penalty for disobeying traffic lights, road signs, pavement markings and other traffic control devices to N100,000, while speed limit violations and reckless driving would also attract stiffer sanctions, including fines of N100,000 and, in some cases, custodial sentences.

The revised schedule of offences contains 52 traffic violations and their corresponding penalties, with lawmakers saying the amendments are intended to improve compliance with traffic regulations, strengthen the FRSC’s enforcement powers and enhance road safety nationwide.

Before Monday’s clarification, opposition parties had condemned the proposed penalties, arguing that criminalising hawking and preaching inside commercial vehicles was misplaced at a time many Nigerians were grappling with soaring inflation, unemployment and declining purchasing power.

In separate interviews with The PUNCH, party officials described the proposal as insensitive, urging the National Assembly to prioritise legislation that addresses the country’s economic challenges rather than imposing harsher penalties on struggling citizens.

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The Federal Government on Monday strongly condemned the recurring xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa, urging Pretoria to take urgent and concrete steps to end the violence.

The condemnation comes as President Bola Tinubu declined to personally receive a special envoy from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Instead, the President directed the delegation, led by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, to meet with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb Sola Enikanolaiye, who is expected to brief the President on the outcome of the talks.

Multiple Presidency sources told The PUNCH that although the South African delegation arrived in Abuja on Friday with a message from President Ramaphosa, Tinubu opted against meeting them amid the diplomatic tension generated by the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

One Presidency source said, “They actually came here on Friday wanting to see the President. But there was no prior notice.

“We said we couldn’t just allow them to see the President without first asking if he was available. When Monday came, the President directed that they should meet the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Enikanolaiye, who would brief him afterwards.”

Another source confirmed that Tinubu had no meeting scheduled with the delegation, while a third said Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who is currently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, advised that it was not the appropriate time for the President to receive the envoy because attacks on Nigerians and their businesses were still ongoing.

Speaking while receiving the delegation in Abuja, Amb Enikanolaiye said the President directed the meeting to exchange views on resolving the attacks, stressing that the long-standing strategic relationship between both countries should not be undermined by violence against African migrants.

While expressing disappointment at the acts of the South Africans towards Nigerians in their country, Enikanolaiye recalled Nigeria’s support for South Africa’s liberation from apartheid and the strategic partnership both countries later forged through the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.

“It is with profound pleasure that I welcome our brothers from South Africa. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had actually asked us to meet with you and exchange views and perspectives on how to address and resolve the ongoing Afrophobic attacks in South Africa, of which Nigerians and other citizens of Africa have been victims,” he said.

The minister expressed disappointment over what he described as a persistent pattern of attacks dating back more than three decades.

“We have seen a pattern emerge as early as 1995, 1998, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2026.

“From 2022 alone, 98 Nigerians have died in mob actions and hate-related attacks that we have described as Afrophobia because Africans, particularly Nigerians, are the predominant victims,” he said.

Enikanolaiye stressed that while Nigeria does not condone criminality, anyone accused of an offence should be prosecuted in accordance with the law rather than subjected to mob justice.

“The Nigerian government will not support drug peddlers, but what we are saying is that anyone accused of an offence should be treated in accordance with your constitution, international human rights instruments and the minimum requirements of humanity,” he said.

He added that many Nigerians legally residing in South Africa had also become victims of attacks, expressing concern over instances where security agencies allegedly failed to intervene.

“If someone is, quote-unquote, a criminal for drug trafficking, there are rules, there are regulations for when they are arrested, prosecuted, and jailed.

“The Nigerian government will not support drug peddlers, but please, what we’re saying is that treat them in accordance with your constitution, in accordance with international human rights instruments, in accordance with the minimum requirement of humanity.

“But what we have found is that this xenophobic act has gone beyond the attack on criminals. We have records of Nigerians who have a legitimate purpose to remain in South Africa, yet they have been attacked.

“We could see some mob actions, where we saw the police watching, as if they are helpless to address this situation, which to us raises issues of state responsibility. It raises issues of complicity. If the state authorities are not able or unwilling to tackle these challenges,” he said.

The minister also recalled the humanitarian consequences of previous attacks, saying Nigeria had evacuated nearly 1,500 citizens from South Africa.

“I shed tears in the plane when I saw children, women and the elderly returning home with almost nothing. Some had their properties looted and destroyed,” he said.

The meeting comes weeks after a fresh wave of xenophobic violence that erupted in April prompted Nigeria to approve evacuation flights for stranded citizens, with more than 1,000 Nigerians registering for voluntary repatriation.

Responding, Lamola said Ramaphosa sent him to Abuja to reaffirm South Africa’s opposition to xenophobia and other forms of intolerance.

“We have been outspoken against any intolerance, including xenophobia, racism, homophobia, violence and discrimination directed at individuals within our borders,” he said.

He, however, maintained that South Africa would continue to enforce its immigration laws and tackle criminal activities.

“President Ramaphosa has also been very firm on South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce immigration laws, including dealing decisively with irregular migration, undocumented immigrants and acts of criminality committed within our borders,” Lamola added.

He described migration as a continental challenge requiring joint action by African countries and expressed optimism that continued dialogue between Abuja and Pretoria would help ease the current diplomatic tension.

Relations between both countries have deteriorated sharply following repeated attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa.

In recent weeks, the House of Representatives recommended the suspension of business permits for South African companies operating in Nigeria, while the Senate dispatched a delegation to Pretoria to formally register Nigeria’s displeasure over the attacks.

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