Fasting in the month of Ramadan, which is the ninth of the 12 Islamic calendar year, begins today, Saturday March 1, 2025, the Sultan of Sokoto and Leader of Muslim Ummah of Nigeria, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, declared on Friday.

The Sultan explained that his declaration followed verified and authenticated reports from various Muslim leaders across the country, which he said had been accepted.

The Sultan said: “Today, Friday, 28th February, 2025, brings us to the end of Sha’ban. Reports of positive sighting of the new crescent of Ramadan were brought to us by various leaders across the country. We have verified and have authenticated such reports and have duly accepted such reports.

“Therefore, tomorrow, 1st March, 2025, makes it 1st Ramadan 1446 After Hijrah,” the Sultan said.

He, therefore, called on Muslims in the country to commence the fasting while also urging them to pray for leaders to enable them to lead the nation and its people well.

He seized the opportunity of the announcement to enjoin well-to-do Muslims to reach out and give to the less privileged or needy during the period.

The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, has declared a case filed by Khalifa Abiola and two others against the Federal Government of Nigeria over alleged human rights violations concerning the assassination of the late Mrs Kudirat Abiola as inadmissible.

In its ruling delivered on Friday, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, the Judge Rapporteur, stated that the applicants lacked the legal capacity to sue, as they failed to establish a direct relationship with Mrs Abiola or present any legal mandate to act on behalf of her estate.

In a statement sent to our correspondent via email, the case, with suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/62/22, was brought before the court by Khalifa Abiola, Moriam Abiola, and Hadi Abiola.

They alleged that Mrs Kudirat Abiola—wife of Chief MKO Abiola, the widely acclaimed winner of Nigeria’s annulled 1993 presidential election—was assassinated in 1996 while advocating for her husband’s release from detention.

According to the statement, the applicants contended that the Nigerian government violated her fundamental human rights by failing to hold her killers accountable, despite a Commission of Inquiry identifying a key suspect, Sergeant Barnabas Jebila.

While dismissing the case, the ECOWAS Court also rejected Nigeria’s objections regarding its jurisdiction, affirming its competence to hear cases involving alleged human rights violations by member states.
However, it clarified that its role does not include acting as an appellate body over national court rulings.

“The court also dismissed the objections of the respondent, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, challenging its competence to determine the matter, which it described as beyond the scope of Article 9 of the Protocol of the Court. It equally dismissed the respondent’s submissions that the applicants were requesting the court to determine a case already decided by a national court and that the case had exceeded the time limit allowed for legal action.

“However, the court noted that the applicants, suing on behalf of themselves and the estate of Mrs Kudirat Abiola, had not demonstrated legal capacity to sue on behalf of the late Mrs Kudirat Abiola’s estate.

“Consequently, the court ruled the case as inadmissible due to the lack of legal capacity of the applicants to sue on behalf of themselves and the late Mrs Kudirat Abiola in this matter.

“The ruling was delivered by a panel of judges, including Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma (Presiding), Hon. Justice Gberi-bè Ouattara (Member), and Hon. Justice Edward Amoako Asante (Judge Rapporteur),” the statement said.

The Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Capt Chris Najomo, has disclosed that in one year, it has approved five Air Operating Certificates, signalling the commencement of five new airlines in the Nigerian aviation industry.

The NCAA boss said this during a stakeholders’ meeting, headed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in Lagos on Friday.

An AOC is an operating license for airlines venturing into air commercial transport.

The approval of AOC by the NCAA implies that five prospective airlines have been approved to commence commercial flight operations in the country.

Najomo said during the process of approving the AOCs, he ensured the applicants did not cut corners and all safety demands were met before handing the certificate over to them.

Speaking on aging aircraft in Nigeria, he said it is not how new an aircraft is that makes it safe but how well the aircraft is maintained.

“The NCAA is carrying out surveillance on all aircraft operating in Nigeria to ensure these aircraft are maintained. Brand new aircraft still take offering and crash. So, the age of an aircraft doesn’t determine how safe it is,” he explained.

Speaking on the scarcity of jobs in the aviation sector, Najomo explained the NCAA is doing its best to ensure airlines bring in more aircraft, adding that the presence of more aircraft would mean more jobs for the industry.