Ulama, others flay gov’t over deal with Israel

The Ulama Forum in Nigeria has condemned reports of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government and the State of Israel on security cooperation, describing the move as “undemocratic, risky, and insensitive.” In a statement jointly signed by its Convener, Aminu Inuwa Muhammad, and Secretary, Engr Basheer Adamu Aliyu, the Forum said it […]

The Ulama Forum in Nigeria has condemned reports of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government and the State of Israel on security cooperation, describing the move as “undemocratic, risky, and insensitive.”

In a statement jointly signed by its Convener, Aminu Inuwa Muhammad, and Secretary, Engr Basheer Adamu Aliyu, the Forum said it is alarmed by what it termed the unilateral posture of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, who was reported to have initiated the security partnership with Israel.

The Forum argued that the decision comes at a time when the global community is holding Israel responsible for alleged genocide against Palestinians, and when South Africa has dragged the country before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“Nigeria should have been in the forefront of countries lending support to South Africa’s genocide case against Israel. Instead, the Minister is inviting Israeli authorities to ‘assist’ Nigeria in managing its internal security challenges,” the statement read.

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According to the clerics, Israel itself is facing existential internal security challenges and therefore cannot offer credible solutions to Nigeria.

They stressed that Nigeria’s security problems require “homegrown strategies rooted in community engagement, social cohesion, and inclusive governance.”

The Ulama Forum urged the Federal Government to strengthen national institutions, invest in security capacity building, and prioritise community-led initiatives to tackle insecurity.

Other recommendations include promoting community engagement to build trust between citizens and security agencies; prioritising human rights and the rule of law in all security operations; prosecuting suspects involved in violent crimes transparently and addressing multidimensional poverty, fighting corruption genuinely, and curbing ostentatious lifestyles by public officials.

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), led by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, had last week condemned the Nigeria-Israel collaboration, describing it as a romance with a terrorist state.

Akintola, in a statement, faulted the deal involving 40 Israeli startups under the Innovate8 initiative, while accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians and warning Nigerian authorities against accepting what he called “blood money.”

Meanwhile, the head of the Palestinian community in Nigeria, Abu Ramzi Ibrahim, has been allegedly detained by security operatives in Abuja, sources close to the community said on Monday.

Daily Trust was unable to independently confirm the story as efforts to reach the Palestinian Ambassador, Muhannad Alhammouri, in Nigeria for comment were unsuccessful.

However, a top official at the embassy, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed Ibrahim’s arrest.

When contacted, FCT Police Command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, stated, “The FCT Police are not holding such a person.” The Department of State Services and the military also said they were unaware of his arrest, when contacted.

 

Nigeria–Israel security ties justified – Former diplomat

A former Nigerian diplomat from the North who served in multiple countries, including the Ivory Coast, Iran, the UN and Sudan, told our reporter last night that Nigeria has maintained diplomatic relations with Israel for a long time, arguing that there is nothing unusual or wrong with Nigeria signing agreements with Israel.

“Nigeria has signed treaties and agreements with many countries over the years, including Israel, in areas such as security and intelligence sharing. This is not new,” he said.

The ex-ambassador further explained that military training and intelligence pacts are common between nations that maintain diplomatic ties.

“As long as two countries have diplomatic relations, military, political, and economic cooperation agreements are signed from time to time.”

Posing a rhetorical question, he added, “So, if Israel is now offering to share intelligence on how to combat banditry and other forms of insecurity plaguing our country, should we reject it simply because it’s Israel?

“Or if Israel is willing to provide drones and intelligence, for example, on how to eliminate Bello Turji, should we also say no?”

According to him, the argument by the Muslim groups that Nigeria should avoid such agreements lacks merit and cannot stand the test of time.

He described their concerns as inconsequential and unlikely to influence the government’s decision.

He also pointed out that countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt have signed security deals with Israel, albeit discreetly, and have formalised such agreements.

The former diplomat also added by saying that President Tinubu would go to any lengths to curb the violence and insecurity in the country, especially with elections approaching, regardless of whether the support comes from Israel or any other nation.

 

Nigeria’s recent agreement with Israel

Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, Her Excellency, Sharren Miriam Haskel-Harpaz, had met on 11th August 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria, for a comprehensive and productive Political Dialogue.

The Technical Session of the Political Dialogue was co-chaired by Ambassador Janet Olisa, Director (Regions), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, and Ambassador Sharon Bar-Li, Deputy Director General, Head of Africa Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel.

During the meeting, critical multilateral issues on security, counter-terrorism, as well as important bilateral political and economic matters, were discussed. The two countries endorsed the valuable ideas and initiatives exchanged during the deliberations.

The two countries agreed that the issue of security and terrorism was a global concern that required the support and cooperation of every country. After outlining some of the security challenges, both countries emphasised the need to deepen collaboration in the areas of counter-terrorism, intelligence, and the sharing of information, especially in the areas of financing and security training.

Other areas of interest covered during the meeting included the mutual desire to cooperate in the areas of technology, innovation for border management, capacity building, culture, tourism, agriculture, consular and immigration matters.

 

5 journalists killed in fresh attack

Gaza’s civil defence agency said five journalists were among at least 20 people killed Monday when Israeli strikes hit a hospital in the south, with Reuters, the Associated Press and Al Jazeera mourning their slain contributors.

Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said “the toll so far is 20 martyrs, including five journalists and one member of the civil defence,” after strikes hit Khan Yunis’s Nasser Hospital. This large medical complex has been targeted several times by Israel since the start of the war.

According to the media watchdogs Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, around 200 journalists have been killed in nearly two years of war between Israel and Hamas.

In a statement, the Israeli military said its troops on Monday “carried out a strike in the area of Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.”

“The Chief of General Staff instructed to conduct an initial inquiry as soon as possible,” it said, adding it “regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such.”

The civil defence’s Bassal said an Israeli explosive drone targeted a building at the hospital, followed by an air strike as the wounded were being evacuated.

A spokesperson for Qatar-based TV network Al Jazeera said on Monday that one of its photojournalists and cameramen, Mohammad Salama, was killed in the attack.

“Al Jazeera Media Network condemns, in the strongest possible terms, this horrific crime committed by the Israeli occupation forces, who have directly targeted and assassinated journalists as part of a systematic campaign to silence the truth,” the broadcaster said in a statement.

The Associated Press said in a statement that it was “shocked and saddened” to learn of the death of Mariam Dagga, 33, a visual journalist who had freelanced for the agency since the start of the war.

A spokesperson for Reuters said: “We are devastated to learn of the death of Reuters contractor Hussam al-Masri and injuries to another of our contractors, Hatem Khaled, in Israeli strikes on the Nasser hospital in Gaza today.”

“We are urgently seeking more information and have asked authorities in Gaza and Israel to help us get urgent medical assistance for Hatem,” the spokesperson added in a statement.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate named two other victims as Moaz Abu Taha and Ahmad Abu Aziz.

According to AFP journalists, Abu Taha had worked with some Palestinian and international outlets.

Earlier this month, four Al Jazeera staff and two freelancers were killed in an Israeli air strike outside Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, prompting widespread condemnation.

 

First-ever famine in Middle East declared in Gaza

The United Nations last Friday officially declared a famine in Gaza, the first time it has done so in the Middle East, with experts warning 500,000 people face “catastrophic” hunger.

“It is a famine: the Gaza famine,” said Tom Fletcher, the UN’s emergency relief coordinator, as the IPC panel found famine was now present in and around Gaza City.

He blamed Israel, accusing it of “systematic obstruction” of aid deliveries to the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the UN-backed report as “an outright lie”, while the foreign ministry insisted: “There is no famine in Gaza.”

The assessment of famine was made by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC), a coalition of monitors tasked by the UN to warn of impending crises.

It defines famine as occurring when 20 per cent of households have an extreme lack of food; 30 per cent of children under five are acutely malnourished; and at least two in every 10,000 people die daily from outright starvation or from malnutrition and disease.

UN agencies have long been warning of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, particularly as Israel steps up its offensive against Hamas.

The Rome-based IPC said that “as of 15 August 2025, famine (IPC Phase 5) – with reasonable evidence – is confirmed in Gaza governorate.”

The UN estimates that nearly one million people currently live in the Gaza governorate.

By Joshua Odeyemi, Dalhatu Liman (Abuja), & Salim Umar Ibrahim (Kano)