Author: Maimuna Bashir Isa

A FORMER Head of State Yakubu Gowon has recalled how he pleaded with the late Sani Abacha to spare the life of former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The Abacha regime arrested Obasanjo in 1995 owing to an alleged coup plot. However, the former president was released after Abacha’s demise in 1998. The following year, Obasanjo became Nigeria’s president, elected under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Speaking at the Plateau Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival in Jos, Gowon recalled how he wrote a letter to Abacha, pleading for Obasanjo’s life. “We thank God because a moment ago, I…

THE Nigerian Army has confirmed that investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, is in its custody. This newspaper had earlier reported how the Foundation For Investigative Journalism (FIJ) broke the news of Soyombo’s ordeal. “The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt has been detaining our founder, Fisayo Soyombo, for three days running. Journalism is not a crime,” FIJ said on X. Confirming this in a statement on Friday, the Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Danjuma, narrated what led to Soyombo’s detention. Danjuma said the incident followed intelligence regarding a notorious gang of…

THE Chairman of the National Population Commission, Nasir Kwarra, has announced plans to conduct Nigeria’s population and housing census in 2025, nearly two decades after the last census in 2006. He made this known during the 2024 anniversary of the Nairobi Summit on the International Conference on Population and Development held in Abuja on Thursday. “A major setback that we face is the delay in conducting a Population and Housing Census. A reliable and accurate census is fundamental for a good decision making. “But the government, at the highest level, is committed to conducting a census, and we believe it…

THE Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) has sealed off a premise of Unity bank, Chicken Republic and the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and First City Monument Bank (FCMB) all located along Yakubu Gowon Way over N100 billion tax liabilities. The agency also sealed off the Hamdala hotel. Leading an enforcement team, Board Secretary and Executive Director Legal Services, Barrister Aisha Ahmad, said the agency embarked on the enforcement of non-payment of the Land Use Tax after exhausting all legal avenues of settlement. See below photos:

THE Federal Government has lifted the ban restricting the posting of members of the National Youth Service Corps to the public sector, allowing for corpers to now be posted to private sector organisations, including banks and oil and gas companies. According to a memo issued by the Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, dated November 18, 2024, the new policy directive will take effect with the commencement of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation exercise. The previous policy implemented during the tenure of former Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Bolaji Abdullahi, aimed at discouraging private companies from exploiting cheap labour…

FOUR students of Nigerian descent have been sentenced for their involvement in a violent disorder that took place in Leicester during the early hours of November 4, 2021. News Point Nigeria gathered that the confrontation, involving knives and a baseball bat, escalated into a large fight on New Park Street, leaving an 18-year-old man with four stab wounds requiring hospital treatment. After a complex investigation involving CCTV analysis, phone tracking, and public appeals, the suspects were identified and charged. A six-week trial concluded in October, with the following sentences handed down on November 14. Destiny Ojo, 21, of Plumstead, London:…

THE National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu on Saturday handed over 58 people rescued during joint security operations to the Kaduna State Government. The victims were presented by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, to the Kaduna Chief of Staff, Sani Limankila, who represented Go Uba Sani during the ceremony. Gen. Musa emphasised that no ransom was paid for their release. “This rescue was achieved through the combined efforts of the military and other security agencies”, Musa said, adding “the operation utilized both kinetic and non-kinetic methods, underscoring the need for collective effort, not just military…

THE Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, has been suspended indefinitely. According to a terse statement on Thursday night by Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, the suspension of Engr. Hadi Ahmad was with immediate effect. The suspended FCDA Executive Secretary has consequently been directed to hand over to the Director of Engineering Services in the FCDA. More details shortly…

THE National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) says a total of 1,463 people were killed by non-state actors while 1,172 Nigerians were kidnapped between January to September 2024. According to the data from the commission sighted by News Point Nigeria, the month of May recorded the highest number of persons killed with 298 while March recorded the highest number of abductions with 499 kidnappings. These figures were presented on Wednesday at a workshop on the state of human rights in Nigeria by the commission and the European Union, in Abuja. In his remarks, NHRC Senior Human Rights Adviser, Hillary Ogbonna, gave a breakdown of the alarming…

THE Federal Government spent $3.58 billion servicing the country’s foreign debt in the first nine months of 2024. Data sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) report on international payment statistics showed that the amount represents a 39.77 per cent increase from the $2.56bn spent during the same period in 2023. According to the report, while the highest monthly debt servicing payment in 2024 occurred in May, amounting to $854.37m, the highest monthly expenditure in 2023 was $641.70m, recorded in July. The trend in international debt servicing by the CBN highlights the rising cost of debt obligations by Nigeria.…

THE national grid has suffered another setback, according to the official handle of the Nigeria National Grid’s X Handle. News Point Nigeria reports that the development comes after the grid collapsed three times in one week towards the end of last month. The latest development brings grid disturbance incidences to nine in 2024 alone. “BREAKING: National Grid suffers another setback. Restoration soon!“, @NationalGridNg tweeted around 3 PM on Tuesday. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had yet to confirm the incident at the time of this report, leaving Nigerians in the dark as to the reason behind this round of…

JUSTICE Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Maitama in Abuja on Thursday adjourned till November 15 to continue the trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika. Sirika, his daughter Fatima Sirika, his son-in-law Jalal Hamma and a firm, Al-Buraq Global Investment Limited, are facing a six-count bordering on abuse of office and contract fraud brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The minister who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari was accused of abusing his office as a minister by awarding contracts to a company in which his daughter and son-in-law had an…

THE Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) says there is no going back on the strike action by the union and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) until their demands are met. SSANU and NASU embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday over the non-payment of their four months salary arrears. Despite calls for the unions to halt the industrial action, SSANU president Mohammed Ibrahim insists that can only happen when their demands are met. “So, it’s not the issue of meeting. The issue is that we want payment and that every procedure has been…

THE Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre has raised over USD 1.1billion in pledges to support displaced persons and refugees across the Sahel and Lake Chad regions. This was announced in a statement made available by Saudi Arabia’s Mission in Nigeria. According to the statement, the funding commitment is made possible by the contributions of more than 10 donor countries, agencies, and organizations dedicated to addressing the growing humanitarian needs in these crisis-hit areas. The donor conference was held in collaboration with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the United Nations Office…

MEMBERS of the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals (JOHESU) have declared a seven-day warning strike, commencing from midnight on Friday (today). The latest strike comes after a fifteen-day notice of industrial action issued to the Federal Government. While addressing journalists in Abuja, the national chairman of the union, Kabiru Minjibir listed some of its demands. They include the immediate implementation of the consolidated health salary structure, payment of a twenty-five percent review of its arrears from June to December 2023, upward review of retirement age for health workers, tax waiver on healthcare workers allowances, and…

THE Federal Government has filed a six-count charge against nine defendants over allegations bordering on disseminating false information on the recent rumour about the impeachment of the Senate President, Godswil Akpabio. The charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/555/2024, was filed at a Federal High Court in Abuja on October 21 by the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, A. A. Yusuf. This newspaper recalls that the defendants were alleged to have published the false information on October 16 that the Department of State Services laid siege to the National Assembly with a view to effecting Akpabio’s impeachment. The Federal Government sued…

AN ill-fated helicopter in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Thursday, had personnel of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) onboard. NNPCL spokesman Olufemi Soneye, in a statement, confirmed that the helicopter operated by East Winds Aviation was engaged by NNPC Limited. The copter crashed at 11:22 a.m. along the waterways in Port Harcourt when the helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG and operated by East Wind Aviation, took off from Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) to the FPSO – NUIMS ANTAN oil rig. A total of eight persons were confirmed on board, said a spokesperson for…

THE Federal Capital Territory Administration has issued a warning to roadside beggars to desist from the act or risk being arrested by enforcement agents. The minister disclosed at Katampe during the flag-off ceremony of the construction of the access road to the newly flag-off judges’ quarters. He lamented that the number of persons who stay on the road is alarming which poses a threat to security in the metropolis. He then issued an October 27, 2024 ultimatum to the concerned parties to vacate the streets. Wike had on Monday, recalled how he revoked the certificate of occupancy (C of O)…

SOME sacked Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have approached an Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) seeking an interlocutory injunction to restrain the bank from replacing them. The sacked directors who are claimants/applicants in a motion on notice filed on Monday insisted their employments were “unlawfully terminated” by the bank “without a valid reason.” The CBN was listed as sole defendant/respondent in the motion filed on behalf of the dismissed directors by the Isa Mohammed & Associates (El-Shuayb Law Firm). In March this year, this newspaper had reported that not less than 27…

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, deputy majority leader of the senate, is “bad-mouthing” it because drugs were allegedly found in his home. Last week, Ashiru, senator representing Kwara south, said the agency is the “most corrupt and compromised government agency” in the country and there is a need to establish a new organisation to curb drug addiction and trafficking. The senator was contributing to a debate on a bill seeking to establish an institute for drug awareness and rehabilitation. During that debate, Kawu Sumaila, senator representing Kano south, alleged that the homes of some…