Isa Funtua right; Ndayabo left.

Two top Nigerian journalists who turned spokespersons, Danladi Ndayebo and Muhammad Isa Funtua, have died as a result of an auto crash along Suleja-Minna road in Niger State last Sunday, November 6.

While Ndayebo died on Monday, a day after the accident, Isa Funtua died in the night of Friday, November 11.

Ndabo was buried according to Islamic rites on Tuesday, after a funeral prayer at the Minna Central Mosque even as Isa Futua was scheduled to be buried today, November 12 in Funtua, his country home, according to his wish before he died.

Both Ndayebo and Isa Funtua reportedly traveled in the same vehicle that was involved in last weekend’s road mishap, some few kilometers to Minna, the Niger State capital.

It was gathered that the two friends were driving to Minna to sympathize with a mutual friend, whose child went missing, when the fatal crash occurred.

Ndayebo was formerly an Editor at the LEADERSHIP Newspapers. He served as Chief Press Secretary to then Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu before he was elevated to a Commissioner of Information.

Ndayebo was the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Survey, until his death.

On his part, Mohammed Isa Funtua, is a nephew of the late Bullet owner, Ismaila Isa Funtua. He worked with People’s Daily Newspaper, in which his uncle, late Ismailia Isa Funtua was one of the owners/shareholders.

He was appointed Special Adviser on Print Media by the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, while his late friend, Imam Imam, was the Chief Press Secretary to Tambuwal.

Before his death, Isa Funtua was the Special Assistant to the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, at the National Assembly, NASS.
He was also a Special Assistant on Public Affairs to then President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, between June 2015 and June 2019.
According to Ben Agande, a long term friend and colleague, Isa Funtua, had many years ago expressed the wish to be buried in Funtua, and not Abuja so that his family members in the hometown can have access to his graveside.
In a condolence message, Publisher of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, Yushau Shuaib, described Ndayebo and Isa Funtua as consummate journalists.
“They were strategic communicators par excellence, moving from media houses to public relations as a former Commissioner of Information in Niger State, and spokesperson to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, respectively.”
According to Shuaib, not only Niger and Katsina States, but Nigeria has truly lost two eminent personalities in the communication industry.
He begged Almighty Allah to grant them Al-Jannatul Firdaus.
Also, Editor-In-Chief of Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper, Yusuf Ozi-Usman, paid glowing tribute to the two journalist cum spokesmen and prayed to Allah to forgive them their sins.
Yusuf Ozi-Usman worked as line editor with late Isa Funtua, who was the Presidential Villa correspondent for Peoples Daily. Yusuf Ozi-Usman later took over from Funtua at the Presidency when the former moved to National Assembly as spokesman.

The Imam of Jum’at Mosque in the Federal Housing Quarters of Kuje, in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sheikh Zakariyya Muhammad has called on the authorities in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and security agency to investigate the clash that recently occurred between farmers and people considered to be enemies of State in the area.
Reports have it that at least, two persons lost their lives and several others sustained various degrees of injuries in the clash which occurred recently around Lanto village in Kuje Area Council.
Sheikh Zakariyya, in his sermon before the commencement of Jum’at (Friday) Congregational prayer today, November 11, said that proper investigation of what led to the clash and necessary action taken by the authorities, would nib in the bud, the future occurrence or even escalation.
The Imam appealed for peaceful coexistence amongst the different ethnic and religious groups in the country.
He called on leadership at all levels, including traditional rulers, council chairmen, those in control of religious groups, to continue to drum it in the ears of the people, the importance of living in peace with one another.
Sheikh Zakariyya, who is a top leader in the Jam’atul Islam Bidi’ah Wa’ikamatu Sunnah (JIBWIS), a powerful Islamic group in Nigeria, quoted extensively from the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah (the sayings and practices of Prophet Muhammad, SAW), to justify his call for peaceful coexistence amongst the people of Nigeria.
The Imam, who focused his preaching on peaceful coexistence of the people and unity for the purpose of attaining meaningful progress in all aspects of life, made it clear that anything short of peace can only lead to destruction, retrogression, fear and lack of direction.
Sheikh Zakariyya warned the enemies of State to stop flying troubles and mayhems all over the country, saying that nemesis would soon catch up with them.
He appealed for serious prayers for Allah to expose the miscreants and their sponsors in no distance future, even as he prayed for peace and harmony to be restored to and prevail in all parts of country.

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has confessed that the police and other security agents used to negotiate with kidnappers to secure release of victims for one reason or the other.

The police boss, who answered reporters’ questions today, November 10, at the State House Media Briefing, organized by the Presidential Communications Team, said that there are several options to explore during kidnap incidents.

“The issue of kidnapping is an issue that borders almost all the security agents, including the military. It  is a crime that once it is committed, you have to thread very softly and with all sense of professionalism.

“If you do not rescue the person, save, unhurt, you’ve not done anything and once somebody is in the captivity of an armed person, then you need to do a lot of things, it is not all about guns and other things. There are a lot of other things that can be done.

“We were able to rescue the whole of forestry students in Kaduna through negotiation and many others.”

The Inspector General of Police said that suspects arrested after the travel advisory issued by the United States and United Kingdom in Abuja will be charged to court soon.

The police boss would not give accurate number of those arrested in connection with the threats, said that the security stakeholders picked holes in the advisories because it caused apprehension among the citizens.

“Nobody has dismissed that alarm. Government never dismissed it; but we only said it was blown out of proportion or made in such a way that our people became apprehensive to the situation or to the way it was done.

“The embassies have their own responsibilities to their citizens and they can make their advice and the government has not dismissed what has happened because they have also informed us of what they foresee as threats.

“And we on our part have also looked at what they put as threat as something that has been with us and efforts are being made daily to see they those threats are mitigated or prevented from happening and that is what has been happening in Abuja and all over the country.

“Sometimes, these threats or things happen but nobody has dismissed it as mere alarm and a lot of efforts have been made, like you said to douse tension. Yes, actually arrests have been made for those, we believe are planning to commit crime in whatever form and we have done that arrest and as at when due, those arrested will be charged to court by any of the services which have them.”