Author: Hamza Rufai

NEWLY appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has cautioned that Nigeria’s security challenges will continue unless the country greatly improves the way information is handled across all sectors. News Point Nigeria reports that Gen. Oluyede stated this on Wednesday during his screening session before the Senate at the National Assembly, where he reflected on his earlier tenure as Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), describing the role as one of the most demanding responsibilities in national security management. He acknowledged progress made in the fight against terrorism, banditry, oil theft and other threats, but insisted that the…

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THE House of Representatives has raised serious security concerns following threats from terrorists to bomb the National Assembly complex in Abuja. News Point Nigeria reports that the Chairman of the House Committee on Internal Security, Hon. Garba Muhammad, disclosed this on Tuesday during a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish a Legislative Security Directorate to bolster protection for lawmakers, workers, and visitors within the nation’s apex legislative institution. Muhammad warned that the National Assembly regarded as the symbol of Nigeria’s democracy has come under increasing security threats, including infiltration by criminal elements posing as visitors. “We have received…

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THE Senate will today (Wednesday) subject the newly appointed service chiefs to screening and possible confirmation as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intensifies efforts to overhaul Nigeria’s security structure and restore public confidence in the Armed Forces. News Point Nigeria reports that the request for the screening was contained in a letter transmitted to the Senate and read during Tuesday’s plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. In the letter, the President appealed for “expeditious consideration,” citing the urgency of strengthening security coordination nationwide. The nominees up for legislative approval include: General Olufemi Oluyede – Chief of Defence Staff Major General Waidi…

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THE Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has debunked reports alleging irregularities and favouritism in recent promotion exercises within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), insisting that every elevation carried out under his leadership has strictly followed laid-down procedures and merit-based criteria. News Point Nigeria reports that Egbetokun stated this on Monday in Abuja during the decoration ceremony of 19 newly promoted senior officers, including Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Mohammed Dan-Kwara, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Nkechi Eze, Force Medical Director, and Commissioner of Police Nandel Gonwalk. Reacting to claims circulating in certain quarters alleging a promotion…

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FORMER Jigawa State Governor and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido, has threatened to take legal action against the party if he is not granted access to purchase the nomination form to contest for the position of National Chairman ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State. News Point Nigeria reports that Lamido, who spoke with journalists at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, on Monday, said his attempt to obtain the form was frustrated despite arriving at the secretariat with supporters to make the purchase. According to…

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TENSIONS have emerged within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the endorsement of former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), as consensus candidate for the position of National Chairman ahead of the party’s National Convention slated for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State. The selection, which was announced after a meeting of northern stakeholders chaired by governors and prominent party leaders, has been rejected by political camps loyal to former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, and former Rivers State Governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. The development has reopened old factional fault lines…

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NASARAWA State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said that former President Muhammadu Buhari was surrounded by politicians who praised him excessively while he was in power but turned against him immediately after he left office. The governor said he personally witnessed how such individuals shifted their loyalty and public commentary depending on what political climate suited them at the time. News Point Nigeria reports that Governor Sule made the remarks in Abuja on Saturday while speaking at the 2nd Raymond Dokpesi Diamond Lecture, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR). According to him, serving in public office has exposed…

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THE quest to address long-standing complaints of political imbalance in Nigeria’s federal structure gained momentum on Saturday, as the Joint Constitution Review Committee of the National Assembly approved the creation of an additional state in the South-East geopolitical zone. News Point Nigeria reports that the decision, reached unanimously during the committee’s two-day retreat in Lagos, is aimed at ensuring fairness and parity among the country’s six geopolitical zones. Currently, the South-East is the only region with **five states; Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo—**while other regions have six, except the North-West which has seven. The review session, chaired by the…

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THE Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria, has dismissed as false a social media video alleging that the institution was involved in developing a Nuclear Weapon for Nigeria. Auwalu Umar, Director Public Affairs Directorate of the university disclosed this in a statement issued to News Point Nigeria on Saturday in Zaria. The director described the viral AI-generated video as misleading, aimed at misinforming the public about Nigeria’s peaceful nuclear energy programme. He said the video falsely claimed that Nigerian scientists in the 1980s secretly enriched weapons-grade uranium in Kaduna and that ABU researchers obtained centrifugal equipment from the AQ Khan network…

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THE National Assembly has commenced deliberations on far-reaching constitutional amendments that could see the creation of 55 new states and 278 additional local government areas across the country. News Point Nigeria reports that Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North) stated this on Friday at the two-day joint retreat of the Senate and House of Representatives’ Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in Lagos. Jibrin, reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to delivering “people-centred and timely” amendments to the constitution, according to a statement by his spokesman, Ismail Mudashir. The Deputy Senate President, who also chairs the Senate…

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FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that he once rejected a proposal recommending former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, as his preferred successor when he was exiting office in 2007. News Point Nigeria reports that Obasanjo made the disclosure on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while speaking at the second edition of the annual Ajibosin Platform Symposium with the theme “Importance of Leadership in Governance.” El-Rufai served under Obasanjo’s administration as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and later as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between 2003 and 2007. The former president, who eventually endorsed…

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THE Federal Government has expressed deep concern over the alarming rate of school dropouts across the country, revealing that about 24 million pupils who enrolled in primary schools failed to advance to senior secondary level. News Point Nigeria reportss that Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a ministerial roundtable on zero-rated data and devices for Nigerian teachers. He said data from the digitised Nigeria Education Management Information System (NEMIS) platform showed that out of 30 million pupils captured from 21 states, only six million progressed to senior secondary school. According to him, statistics…

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THE House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, in a move aimed at limiting presidential control over the leadership of the anti-graft agency and strengthening its institutional independence. News Point Nigeria repots that the bill, sponsored by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency of Plateau State, was taken for consideration during Thursday’s plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. If passed into law, the amendment will alter key provisions of the EFCC Act to ensure greater operational autonomy for the Commission, insulate…

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THE Social Democratic Party (SDP) has suspended its National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, over alleged financial misconduct and misappropriation of party funds. Gabam was suspended alongside the SDP National Auditor, Nnadi Clarkson, and National Youth Leader, Chukwuma Uchechukwu. SDP announced the suspension in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Araba Aiyenigba made available to News Point Nigeria, saying it followed a resolution at the SDP National Working Committee (NWC) meeting held on Thursday, 23 October 2025 at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja. The party wrote: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), on June 24,…

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THE Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested human rights activist and the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore. Sowore was reportedly arrested on Thursday by armed policemen within the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja, shortly after showing solidarity with the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. Confirming the arrest to News Point Nigeria, the Force Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin, said the activist is currently in police custody and will be charged to court today. He explained that Sowore was arrested for allegedly…

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THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it generated N1.86 billion from the auction of forfeited assets in 2024 the highest amount since its establishment. In a statement issued on Wednesday sent to News Point Nigeria, ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare said the figure was disclosed during the 2025 meeting of the Asset Disposal Committee, following a report presented by the Proceeds of Crime Department (POCD). The meeting was presided over by ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu, who reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in asset recovery and disposal. According to the report, 10 out…

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JUSTICE Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected a fresh application for bail filed by detained alleged terrorists negotiator, Tukur Mohammed Mamu. News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling on Wednesday, noted the health complaint by Mamu and held that the detaining authority, the Department of State Services (DSS) should not release him but take him to an appropriate health facility where he would be adequately attended to. Justice Umar noted that by the history of the case so far, the prosecution has exhibited diligence in its handling of the case and…

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THE Department of State Services (DSS) has alerted the Nigerian military and sister security agencies of an imminent terror attack being planned by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) on communities in Ondo and Kogi states. According to a classified memo dated October 20, 2025, obtained by News Point Nigeria, the secret police warned that credible intelligence confirmed plans by ISWAP fighters to launch coordinated assaults on strategic communities in both states. The memo, signed by Hi Kana, Director of Security, DSS Ondo State Command, was addressed to the Brigade Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Nigerian Army…

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THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to come clean on the recent reports of an alleged coup plot, warning against using the rumour as a political weapon to silence opposition voices or divert attention from governance failures. In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi received by News Point Nigeria, the party cautioned the administration of President Bola Tinubu not to exploit the alleged coup reports to clamp down on dissent or opposition leaders under the guise of national security. The ADC said any attempt to politicise the incident or…

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THE Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has declared all correctional facilities nationwide as “Red Zones,” warning that they are strictly off-limits to the public ahead of Monday’s planned protests calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). In a public notice issued on Sunday by the NCoS spokesperson, Umar Abubakar sent to News Point Nigeria, the Service cautioned that anyone found loitering around or attempting to gain access to any correctional facility without authorization would be treated as a potential security threat. “All correctional centres are declared as Red Zones. Anyone who has…

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