Author: Amina Ibrahim

THE Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, and his two brothers, Mohammed and Ali, must enter their defence in the 23-count criminal charge brought against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). News Point Nigeria reports that the ruling, delivered on Tuesday by Justice James Omotosho, dismissed the no-case submissions filed by the defendants who had argued that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case linking them to the alleged offences. Kyari, a former Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), is currently facing allegations of…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent removal and reconstitution of Nigeria’s Service Chiefs has continued to generate nationwide attention, with analysts describing the move as a bold and strategic reset aimed at reviving the country’s stalled security operations. News Point Nigeria reports that the President, who approved a sweeping overhaul of the military command structure, is said to be responding to long-standing calls for fresh leadership, renewed morale, and a redefined approach to tackling insurgency, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes plaguing different regions of the country. Nigeria has for years grappled with multi-dimensional security challenges from Boko Haram and…

NIGERIA’s expenditure on foreign medical services has dropped sharply by 52 per cent under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to the latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). A review of the CBN’s Quarterly Statistical Bulletin, obtained by News Point Nigeria, revealed that Nigerians spent a total of $4.74 million on foreign healthcare-related services between May 2023 and March 2025, President Tinubu’s first 22 months in office. The figure marks a steep decline compared to the $9.83 million recorded during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s first 22 months (May 2015–February 2017), signalling a significant slowdown in…

THE Senate Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) on Wednesday screened the newly nominated Board Chairman, Dr. Musa Babayo, expressing confidence that his appointment will reposition the agency to deliver on Nigeria’s urgent road infrastructure needs. News Point Nigeria reports that during the screening session held at the National Assembly, the Committee commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it described as a “strategic and deserving nomination,” citing Dr. Babayo’s sterling credentials and vast experience in administration, finance, and infrastructure development. Chairman of the Senate Committee on FERMA, Senator Sahabi Ya’u, underscored the importance of strong and visionary…

SENIOR Adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, has dismissed widespread allegations of a targeted genocide against Christians in Nigeria. News Point Nigeria reports that Boulos made the remarks during a courtesy visit to President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Friday. His comments come amid growing pressure from U.S. lawmakers, some of whom have called on the White House to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged religious persecution, particularly of Christians. The Trump administration, however, has not yet responded publicly to those calls. Responding to…

THE Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Olufemi Peters, on Thursday implored new students of the institution to explore their interests and passions beyond their degree programmes. News Point Nigeria reports that speaking at the 29th Matriculation Ceremony for the students of the university held virtually, Peters said: “Your journey at NOUN is not just about earning a degree, it is about transforming yourself into a well-rounded, innovative and resourceful individual.” The VC urged them to “take full advantage of the flexible learning opportunities to pursue your academic and personal goals,” adding, “Remember, the discipline and…

THE Federal Government has concluded discussions with power generation companies (GenCos) on the framework for implementing the Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Plan, a N4 trillion intervention aimed at restoring financial stability and investor confidence in Nigeria’s electricity market. The initiative, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and endorsed by the Federal Executive Council in August 2025, seeks to address long-standing liquidity challenges that have crippled the country’s power sector for over a decade. According to a statement by the Media and Communications Unit in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy sent to News Point…

THE First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has met with the Founder of the Quatar Foundation, Sheika Moza Bint Nasser Al-Misssned. News Point Nigeria reports that the visit according to the First Lady is to get the Foundations support and interventions over the more than 15 million out of school children in Nigeria, the largest number globally. Senator Oluremi Tinubu said the Nigerian Government, through the Ministry of Education, is now ready to embark on a transformative model of Almajiri Education Schools’ System, one that integrates both Islamic and formal education. “These schools will host and care for the…

GOMBE State has once again earned national recognition for excellence in governance and digital innovation, clinching two top awards at the Nigeria GovTech Public Service Awards 2025, held on Friday, October 10, 2025, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The high-profile event, organized by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) under the Presidency, celebrated public institutions that have demonstrated outstanding innovation, efficiency and measurable impact in digital governance across the country. Gombe State, through its Due Process Bureau, emerged as a clear standout, winning the awards for “Best State MDA in Innovative Use of Technology” and the “Distinguished GovTech Trailblazers…

THE Governing Council of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has approved the appointment of Professor Uduma O. Uduma as the next Vice-Chancellor of the institution. News Point Nigeria reports that his appointment takes effect from February 11, 2026, following the completion of the tenure of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor. The announcement was made after the Council’s consideration and ratification of the recommendation of the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board, which oversaw the rigorous appointment process. Professor Uduma, a distinguished scholar of Philosophy and Logic, and a Barrister-at-Law, brings to the position decades of academic and administrative experience. Born…

THE Presidency has strongly disputed the latest World Bank report estimating that 139 million Nigerians are living in poverty, describing the figure as “unrealistic, misleading, and detached from Nigeria’s current economic realities.” News Point Nigeria reports that reacting to the report on Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said the figures must be “properly contextualised” within the framework of global poverty measurement models, warning against what he termed a “misreading of analytical constructs as real-time headcounts.” “While Nigeria values its partnership with the World Bank and appreciates its analytical work, the figure quoted…

AS part of moves aimed at restoring Nigeria’s global reputation, the Senate on Tuesday advanced a bill that would strip Nigerians convicted of crimes abroad of their international passports for a minimum of 10 years. News Point Nigeria reports that the bill, sponsored by Senator Abubakar Bello (Niger North), seeks to amend the Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, introducing tough penalties designed to deter criminal conduct by Nigerians overseas and repair the tarnished image of the Nigerian passport. Leading the debate on the floor, Senator Onawo Ogwoshi, speaking on behalf of the sponsor, described the bill as imperative and compelling, underscored…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced a new set of operational guidelines for agent banking, placing a daily transaction cap of ₦1.2 million per Point-of-Sale (POS) agent nationwide. The move, according to the apex bank, is part of broader reforms to enhance financial system stability, curb abuse of POS services, deepen financial inclusion, and protect consumers. The directive, contained in a circular numbered PSP/DIR/CON/CWO/001/049 and signed by Musa Jimoh, Director of the Payments System Management Department sighted by News Point Nigeria, takes immediate effect. Under the new rules, all agent banking activities including cash-in, cash-out, transfers, bill payments,…

THE Federal Government has flagged off the campaign for measles, polio, HPV immunisation vaccines, and other neglected tropical diseases interventions across the country. News Point Nigeria reports that the event was held on Monday at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital. It aims to eliminate measles by the year 2030 through strengthened routine immunisation, enhanced surveillance and outbreak response, integration of measles and rubella initiatives into primary health care, and promotion of innovative technologies. With 16 million children expected to be vaccinated during the exercise, the integrated campaign targets children between the ages of…

FIRST Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for urgent action to tackle the worsening shortage of teachers in the country and across the globe, describing the situation as a major challenge to education and national development. In a statement to mark World Teachers’ Day 2025, themed “Focusing on the Global Teacher Shortage,” sent to News Point Nigeria, Mrs. Tinubu celebrated educators as “true heroes, shaping minds, nurturing dreams, and guiding generations,” and urged governments, policymakers, and communities to give the teaching profession the respect, attention, and investment it deserves. The statement, released on Sunday and made available to Channels Television,…

THE Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has raised alarm over the country’s worsening doctor-to-patient ratio, describing it as “unacceptable and dangerous,” while announcing new measures to safeguard doctors’ wellbeing and ensure safer healthcare delivery. In a statement issued on Wednesday to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary received by News Point Nigeria, NARD lamented that each doctor in Nigeria currently attends to 9,083 patients on average, a figure it said is “far from global best practice.” The statement, signed by NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman; Secretary-General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Abdulmajid Ibrahim, also revealed that…

THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has withdrawn the registration of 101 medicines and health products, declaring them no longer approved for manufacture, importation, distribution, advertisement, sale, or use in Nigeria. In a statement on Tuesday sent to News Point Nigeria, the agency explained that some of the products were voluntarily withdrawn by their market authorisation holders, while others were suspended or cancelled by NAFDAC. A suspension applies when the conditions under which a licence was issued are no longer met, while a cancellation occurs when the agency revokes a licence entirely. The delisted products…

THE Federal Government has declared Wednesday, October 1, 2025, a public holiday to commemorate Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary. The announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on behalf of the Federal Government in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani received by News Point Nigeria, on Monday in Abuja. Dr. Tunji-Ojo congratulated Nigerians at home and abroad on the historic milestone, urging them to continue upholding the values of patriotism, unity, and resilience that have sustained the country since 1960. He further called on citizens to remain steadfast in supporting…

THE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has officially announced a reduction in the fare for the 2026 Hajj exercise, pegging the cost between N8.1 million and N8.5 million, depending on the pilgrim’s departure zone. The development comes weeks after the commission unveiled a tentative fare of N8.5 million, pending consultations with stakeholders and final approval from the Federal Government. In a statement released on Saturday made available to News Point Nigeria, NAHCON explained that intending pilgrims from the Maiduguri-Yola Zone covering Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, and Taraba States will pay N8,118,333.67. Pilgrims from other northern states will pay N8,244,813.67, while…

A PROFESSOR of Counselling Psychology at the National Open University of Nigeria, Fidel Onjefu Okopi, has said that psychological counseling must not be confined to schools and offices but is a serious requirement in our everyday life. According to a statement issued on Thursday made available to News Point Nigeria, and signed by Ibrahim Sheme, NOUN’s Director of Media and Publicity, Okopi, a staff of the NOUN’s Faculty of Education, stated this in the NOUN’s 37th Inaugural Lecture delivered by him, which held at the university’s conference centre on Thursday, September 25, 2025. In the lecture, titled, “From Heart to…