The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) March 2026 headline inflation reports indicate that people in rural Nigerian suffer hardship more than those in the urban areas.

In the month under review headline inflation rate rose to 15.38% from the 15.06% recorded in February.

Looking at the movement, Rural inflation rate in March 2026 was 17.22% on a year-on-year basis, while on a month-on-month basis, the Rural inflation rate in March 2026 was 6.73%, up by 6.02% compared to February 2026 (0,71%).

However, on a year-on-year basis, in March 2026, the Urban inflation rate was 14.64%.

On a month-on-month basis, the Urban inflation rate was 3.16% in March 2026, up by 0.61% compared to February 2026 (2.55%).

The corresponding twelve-month average for the Urban inflation rate was 20.04% in March 2026. This was 0.06% points lower compared to the 20.10% reported in March 2025.

The Northern Christian Association has cautioned Nigerians and believers against engaging in hostile religious arguments, saying no Christian can defend God through insults or abusive exchanges.

Chairman of the association, Joseph Hayab, gave the warning in a statement issued in Kaduna, urging Christians, especially youths and clergy, to exercise restraint amid growing religious provocations on social media.

He noted many online debates presented as defence of the faith are contrary to biblical teachings and risk deepening religious divisions.

Hayab described such engagements as vain and unprofitable arguments, warning that they often lead to strife and ungodliness.

The cleric further stressed that Christians must not respond to provocation with hostility, even when their faith is ridiculed.

He maintained that God, being omnipotent, does not require human defence through verbal attacks.

Hayab further warned that using abusive language in the name of defending the faith undermines the core message of love and peace in Christianity.

He added that such actions weaken the moral authority of the Christian faith and misrepresent its true values.

The Christian body insists that with social media platforms increasingly becoming arenas for religious confrontations, the association is urging Christians to shun divisive engagements and uphold peaceful coexistence.

The Federal Government has withdrawn the allegations of terrorism financing against former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abdulaziz Malami.‎‎

The charges were dropped Wednesday in court, leaving only counts related to unlawful possession of firearms.‎‎

At the Federal High Court in Abuja the prosecution formally withdrew the original five-count charge of alleged terrorism financing and unlawful possession of firearms that was filed by the Department of State Services.‎‎

Prosecutor, Chief Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, who is representing the current Attorney-General of the Federation, told the court that the government has filed a fresh amended five-count charge dated 14th April.‎‎

Former Minister Abubakar Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, took a fresh plea before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all the amended counts.‎‎

The court admitted them to bail on the same terms previously granted and adjourned the matter to the 26th of May and 15th of June for the commencement of trial.‎‎

This latest twist significantly narrows the case against the former chief law officer of the federation and his son.

In the former charge Malami was accused of knowingly abetting terrorism financing by allegedly refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were forwarded to his office as AGF (around November 2022), in breach of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.‎‎

The other charges in the previous five counts:

In December 2025, at their home in Kebbi State, they allegedly possessed without a license a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 live Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, and 27 expended cartridges. This is framed as conduct in preparation for an act of terrorism under the Terrorism Act and Firearms Act.‎‎‎

AMENDED CHARGE‎‎S

COUNT ONE ‎

THAT YOU Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did engage in preparation to commit acts of terrorism by having in your possession and without license, a Sturm Magnum 17 – 0101 firearm, Sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 29 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.‎‎

COUNT TWO ‎

THAT YOU, Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves in preparation to commit acts of terrorism by having in your possession and without a license a Sturm Magnum 17 – 0101 firearm, Sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar, contrary to Section 26 (1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition Act) 2022 and punishable under Section 26 (3) (a) and (b) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition Act) 2022.

‎‎COUNT THREE

‎THAT YOU Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without a license, did have in your possession a Sturm Magnum 17 – 0101 firearm and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.‎‎

COUNT FOUR ‎

THAT YOU, Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without a license, did have in your possession Sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) (ii) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.‎‎

COUNT FIVE ‎

THAT YOU, Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without a license, did have in your possession Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) (ii) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.