THE Federal Government on Monday resumed the trial of suspected Boko Haram members in the Kainji Prosecution Project Phase IV in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. Speaking at the opening of the court session, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), noted that the first phase commenced in 2017. This newspaper quoted him as saying that the Federal Government, during the 2017 trial, secured 366 convictions, while 896 suspects were discharged for lack of evidence. He noted that 61 other cases were adjourned for further hearing. He noted that the resumption of the trial was…
Author: Hamza Rufai
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THE Nigerian Army has taken responsibility for Sunday’s Air Strike that left many villager killed and several others injured at Tudun Biri village in Kaduna State. This development was confirmed by Samuel Aruwan, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs at the end of an emergency security meeting on Monday. News Point Nigeria had earlier reported that on Sunday night while the villagers were marking the Maulud celebration to commemorate the birth of Prophet Muhammad SAW, an unmanned aerial vehicle bombed some parts of the community, killing a yet to ascertained number of individuals. Following the incident,…
BOKO Haram arms supplier and detained Nigerian soldier, Abba Gesh, has escaped from the Joint Investigation Centre (JIC), a military prison located at Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, this newspaper can report. This newspaper learnt that the prison, over the decade, has been known for detaining hundreds of suspected and confirmed Boko Haram terrorists arrested during the ongoing insurgency in the Northern part of the country. Though this newspaper could not establish when Gesh escaped from the facility, security sources revealed he was last sighted on November 26 at Malari, also in Borno State. Gesh, a member…
THE Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has named new chairmen and deputy chairmen for Standing Committees of the House. At the end of the debate on the general principles of the proposed 2024 budget of N27.5 trillion on Friday, the Speaker, who presided over the session, made the announcement on the floor of the House. Iritomi Thomas was named the Chairman of the Committee on Petroleum Resources Training Funds while the Deputy Chairman is Ajilo Shehu. The Committee on States and Local Governments is to be chaired by Shehu Rijau while his Deputy is Vincent Bulus from…
THE Federal Government, on Thursday, said it had raised N585m towards the settlement of fines for inmates in a bid to decongest correctional centres across the country. The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, represented by an Assistant Director in the ministry, Dr Anayo Romanus-Nzekwe, disclosed this on Thursday in Kano, during the release of 150 inmates, whose fines were settled by the Federal Government. This newspaper reports that the interior minister had repeatedly lamented that no fewer than 4,000 inmates were languishing in detention over their inability to pay fines. Tunji-Ojo had promised that the Federal Government would clear…
THE House of Representatives on Thursday passed the N27.5trn 2024 budget for second reading. Leading the debate on the general principles of the budget, House Leader, Julius Ihonvbere commended President Bola Tinubu, noting that national security and education which got significant allocations, will be enhanced if implemented. “Nigeria will be more secure with the allocation to defence and security. “As a teacher, I am impressed by the emphasis on basic education. I am sure that education will be better off this time,” he said. More details shortly…
BANDITS, on Tuesday night, attacked Dan-Honu II community in New Millennium City of Chikun local government area of Kaduna State, kidnapping eight persons. Among those abducted were a newly wedded couple who got married last Saturday, Chief Imam of the community mosque, his wife and three children, including a 10-month-old baby. The bandits, who stormed the community around 8:50pm numbering about 10, with AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons, were said to be clad in black, with one of them masked. A community member, Mohammed, who escaped the abduction by the whiskers, told our Correspondent that the bandits started by…
THE Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has appointed Abdul-Azeez Suleiman as its new Director of Publicity and Advocacy. According to a statement by Professor Danjuma Doknan Sheni, Director General of the Forum, his appointment followed an extensive search for the most suitable candidate who will also double as its spokesman. The statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday reads: “Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, a seasoned journalist with an impressive track record, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. Having held various editorial positions in renowned national newspapers such as the Daily Trust, Summit, and The Road, Suleiman has consistently demonstrated his professionalism…
THE National Judicial Council may on Friday send the names of 11 successful candidates to President Bola Tinubu for appointment into the Supreme, this newspaper gathered on Tuesday. It also gathered that 22 shortlisted justices were screened on Tuesday at the Committee Room of the NJC in Abuja from 9am to 6pm. One of our correspondents learnt that the screened justices were divided into priority and reserved candidates. The priority candidates include Justice Jummai Sankey; Justice Stephen Adah; Justice Mohammed Idris; Justice Abubakar Umar; Justice Chidiebere Uwa; Justice Obande Ogbuinya; Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu; Justice Moore Adumein; and Justice Habeeb Abiru.…
OFFICERS of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone B of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in Kaduna State have impounded 61 smuggled Sports Utility Vehicles, textile products and drugs with a total Duty Paid Value of N2.8 billion. The FOU Comptroller, Dalha Wada, on Tuesday, said the smuggled vehicles were impounded from smugglers at different locations in the North-Central and North-West zones as a result of the intelligence drive and improved strategies to raise the service’s operational performances. The comptroller also raised the alarm that some smugglers had devised new methods to evade arrest by hiring bandits in the northern region…
A FEDERAL Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, has adjourned an alleged procurement fraud case involving ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. The court adjourned the trial of the ex-bank chief to January 18 and 19, 2024 for continuation of trial. Emefiele is standing trial on a six count amended charge on alleged procurement of vehicles to the tune of N1.6bn. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was granted bail on November 17, 2023 to the tune of N300m and two sureties and remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending when he meets his…
THE Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has nullified the election of the Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Liman, and ordered a rerun in five polling units (PUs). News Point Nigeria reports that the State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal had on September 30 nullified the victory of Liman representing Makera State Constituency and ordered a rerun in 42 polling units. This followed a petition filed before the Tribunal by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Solomon Katuka, challenging the election of Liman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In his petition, the PDP candidate…
NO fewer than 32 bills have been tabled before the Senate and the House of Representatives for the creation of new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, News Point Nigeria gathered. The Academic Staff Union of Universities and other experts, however, warned the government against the establishment of new institutions while failing to fund the existing ones. This newspaper reports that Nigeria has a total of 52 federal universities. The official data from the National Universities Commission also revealed that the country has 63 state universities and 147 private universities. The National…
THE Federal Government has initiated a process to resolve challenges bordering on the supply and pricing of Liquefied Petroleum Gas in the country’s domestic market better known as cooking gas. A statement by Louis Ibah, spokesman for the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the minister waded into the issue following a rise in the price of LPG per kg from about N700 to above N1,100 in some parts of the country. He said the meeting, at the instance of the minister, which was held at the NNPC Towers Abuja recently had in attendance top officials of…
THE President/Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said that the $20bn Dangote refinery in Lekki, Lagos would start with the refining of 350,000 barrels per day of crude oil. Dangote, who disclosed this during a special interview with the Financial Times, also stated that the refinery would receive about six million barrels of crude in December 2023. “We’re starting with 350,000 barrels a day, “Dangote told the Financial Times, adding that a deal had already been clinched for the “first cargo of about 6mn barrels” for delivery next month. Dangote said he believed the refinery could reach its…
ARMED bandits on Friday abducted over 100 persons, mostly women and children in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State. News Point Nigeria reports that the bandits raided four villages of Mutumji, Sabongari Mahuta, Kwanar Dutsi and Unguwar Kawo, all under the Maru Local Government Area for failing to pay levies imposed on the communities. Sources from Mutumji told our correspondent that the bandits invaded the community around 8pm after prayers and started shooting sporadically, forcing residents to scamper for safety. Residents said a bandits’ kingpin operating in the area, Damina, had imposed N110 million naira “harvesting levy” on…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Friday, appointed Dr. Aba Ibrahim and Dr. Muda Yusuf to serve as members on the Board of the Nigeria Customs Service for a term of four years as representatives of the organised private sector. Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a statement on Friday titled ‘President Tinubu appoints two Nigeria Customs Service Board Members.’ According to Ngelale, the President wishes the new appointees well in their deliberations, and “expects that the views and perspectives of the private sector are fully articulated.” This, he said, will ensure that the objectives of…
THE Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has lamented the manpower challenge in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), saying an officer does the work of two persons. While there are about 370,000 officers in the Force, IGP Egbetokun told men and officers of the Kwara State Police Command that efforts are being made to rewrite the narrative. “We’re paying attention to manpower. I know that there’s a shortage of manpower in your command. I know the stress that I went through while I was the commissioner of police here in making sure that the job was done. I know…
THE National Economic Council on Thursday announced plans to channel at least $1.52bn donor funds into 36 special agro-industrial processing zones across the nation, aiming to create over 18.1 million jobs, including 100,000 farmers nationwide. The first phase, which now runs in Kano, Kaduna, Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Imo, Cross River states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, will gulp over $520m and is set to conclude by 2028. Twenty-six states have expressed interest in joining Phase II of the programme, where the $1bn funding from the AfDB and other partners will be channelled. The states will begin documentation for…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Ambassador Desmond Akawor to serve as a Federal Commissioner of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), pending the confirmation of the Nigerian Senate. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, Thursday. The statement reads in full: PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU APPROVES APPOINTMENT OF RMAFC FEDERAL COMMISSIONER President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Ambassador Desmond Akawor to serve as a Federal Commissioner of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), pending the confirmation of the Nigerian Senate.…