Pen Blog Media

By: Pen Blog Media Date Published: Tuesday, 21st July, 2026 | 6th Safar, 1448 AH. Ibadan High Court The Oyo State High Court sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan, has affirmed the right of eligible Muslim female students to wear the hijab in government-owned public schools across the state. The judgment, delivered on Monday by Justice Y. S. Adekunle in Suit No. I/47/2026 — Sumaiya Ayanrinde & 4 Ors. v. Governor of Oyo State & 3 Ors., is being described by Muslim groups as a significant development in the long-running debate over religious freedom and school uniform policies in Oyo State. The case was brought by the parents and guardians of five Muslim female students who challenged restrictions on the wearing of hijab in a government-owned public school. The litigation reportedly involved United Christian Secondary School, Omi-Adio, Ibadan, a school with a missionary historical background but now under government ownership. According to statements issued following the judgment, the cour...

By: Pen Blog Media. Date: Tuesday, 21st July, 2026 | 6th Safar, 1448 AH. The United States and Iran have entered another intense phase of direct hostilities, with American forces carrying out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian targets as Tehran continues retaliatory attacks against U.S. interests and regional allies. The renewed escalation has effectively shattered a fragile U.S.–Iran understanding that had sought to halt hostilities and create space for further negotiations. Fighting has now spread beyond Iran's borders, raising fresh concerns over the security of Gulf states, international shipping and global energy supplies. U.S. STRIKES ENTER 10TH CONSECUTIVE NIGHT The U.S. military said it had completed another round of strikes against Iran, marking the 10th consecutive night of American attacks. According to the U.S. Central Command, the latest operations targeted Iranian military command centres, missile and drone launch sites, maritime capabilities and air-defen...

By: Pen Blog Media Date: Mon, 20th July, 2026 | 5th Muharram, 1448 AH. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — Sir Keir Starmer has formally stepped down as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, bringing his tenure to an end after nearly two years in office and paving the way for Andy Burnham to become Britain's new head of government. Starmer officially submitted his resignation to King Charles III on Monday following weeks of political transition within the governing Labour Party. His departure comes after mounting pressure from within the party and a decline in public support, leading Labour members to back a change in leadership. Andy Burnham, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester, has now assumed office as Prime Minister after emerging as the Labour Party's new leader. He becomes the seventh person to hold the office of British Prime Minister since 2016, marking another significant chapter in the country's recent political history. In his farewell address outside 10 Downing Street, ...

By— Pen Blog Media . Date: Wednesday, 15th July, 2026 | 30th Muharram, 1448 AH. SOKOTO , Nigeria — The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, has declared Thursday, July 16, 2026, as the 1st day of Safar 1448AH, after the new crescent moon was not sighted across Nigeria. The announcement followed the conclusion of nationwide moon-sighting exercises conducted on Tuesday, July 14, corresponding to the 29th day of Muharram 1448AH. Before the official declaration, members of the National Moon-Sighting Committee disclosed that reports received from committees across the country indicated that no verified sighting of the Safar crescent had been recorded. The committee subsequently forwarded its findings to the Sultanate Council for final consideration. After reviewing the reports, the Sultanate Council confirmed that there was no authenticated moon sighting from any part of the c...

By— Pen Blog Media . Date Published: Monday, 13th July, 2026 | 27th Muharram, 1448 AH. THE Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative (HRAI) has called on the Federal Government to guarantee the rights of female Muslim corps members to wear the hijab as discussions continue over proposed reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), including a possible redesign of its official uniform. The advocacy group, in a statement, welcomed the Federal Government's ongoing efforts to modernise the NYSC scheme but stressed that the reform should go beyond changing the appearance of the uniform to include clear institutional safeguards that protect the constitutional rights, dignity and religious identity of Muslim women. HRAI argued that any new NYSC uniform policy should explicitly accommodate female corps members who observe the Islamic hijab, enabling them to participate fully in the national service programme without compromising their religious obligations. According to the group, inclusivi...

By— Pen Blog Media . Date: Friday, 10th July, 2026 | 25th Muharram, 1448 AH. THE pupils and teachers abducted during coordinated attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after spending approximately 56 days in captivity. The development was announced on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who disclosed that the victims were rescued through the efforts of Nigerian security agencies. The victims were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, when armed terrorists attacked three schools in the Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota communities of Oriire LGA, including Baptist Nursery and Primary School, L.A. Primary School, and Community High School. The incident sparked widespread condemnation and renewed concerns over the safety of schools in the state. While announcing the successful rescue, the Presidency did not immediately provide full operational details but confirmed that the victims had safely regained th...