FACT-CHECK: Did the Emir of Katsina Expel AGILE Project over Violation of Islamic Culture in the State?

CLAIM: An online media outlet reports that the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, had ‘expelled the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) programme from Katsina state over alleged violation of Islamic and traditional teachings.’

FULL-TEXT: One of the publications reports that “His Highness the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, has expelled the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) program from Katsina state.

“The decision was made due to concerns that the program violates Islamic teachings and attempts to “pollute the education of girls.”

“During a ceremony at his palace on Saturday, the Emir disapproved of the program’s practices.

“AGILE is trying to prevent our girls from wearing hijab and teaching them some morals that are not in line with our culture and tradition,”

“This program is crossing its boundaries, and we will not condone such acts as elders of the land. We will do our best to ensure this does not continue to happen in our land,” The Emir stated.

VERIFICATION: An in-depth multi-source investigation, which includes web searches, phone calls, and media content analyses, did not reveal any place, time, source, or occasion where Katsina Emir validly made the statement against the AGILE program, which is a World Bank-supported initiative to improve the secondary education of adolescent girls in Nigeria, from his state.

When PRNigeria contacted Mustapha Shehu, the Katsina State Coordinator for the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), he debunked the reports on the alleged disapproval of the AGILE programme by the Emir of Katsina in the state. He described it as “fake news.”

“The emirate council has distanced itself from the deliberately published reports to mislead the public. I, therefore, call on the public to disregard such claims and try to verify every publication before spreading it.”

Mr Shehu’s claim was also validated by multiple Palace sources who reached out to PRNigeria on the matter. 

Meanwhile, while traditional rulers provide complimentary leadership at the local government administration, they have no constitutional role in government. They are not empowered to make executive decisions which rest primarily on the state government according to constitutional provisions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). 

CONCLUSION: Based on the facts gathered by PRNigeria, the claim that the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, did not suspend and expel the AGILE project in the state over alleged violation of religious and traditional teachings. 

Therefore, PRNigeria concludes that the claim that the Emir of Katsina has terminated AGILE’s activities in the state is misleading and FALSE.

Culled from PRNigeria