TWO persons were feared dead as fire razed part of the Embassy of Canada, Monday in Abuja. A source told News Point Nigeria that the fire broke out while the embassy’s power generating plant was being repaired engulfing and killing two persons that are part of the technical crew while one person escaped through the roof of the power house. The source told our correspondent that others were blown out of the powerhouse due to the force of the sudden fire explosion. Staff, who ran out of the embassy for refuge outside the gates told this newspaper that the fire broke…
Author: Amina Ibrahim
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THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that it has enough volume of banknotes to go around against backdrop of the approaching festive period, dismissing the allegations of cash scarcity in the banking sector. The apex bank, which was reacting to reports of alleged scarcity of cash at the banks, automated teller machines (ATMs), Points of Sale (PoS) and Bureaux de Change (BDC) in some major cities across the country, said the seeming cash scarcity in some locations was largely due to high volume withdrawals from the CBN branches by Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and panic withdrawals by customers…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not ask for a presidential yacht, Tope Ajayi, his spokesman, has said. There has been outrage since details of the N2.1 trillion supplementary budget Tinubu submitted to the National Assembly were published. According to the budget, N5.09 billion was allocated for the yacht, N2.9 billion for sport utility vehicles for the Presidential Villa, and another N2.9 billion for the replacement of operational vehicles for the presidency. The yacht was listed under the Nigerian Navy’s proposed capital expenditure of N42.3 billion. Reacting to the criticisms that have trailed the issue, Ajayi said he doubted if his…
THE House of Representatives is to investigate the money expended on the postponed 2023 population and housing census by the National Population Commission (NPC). The house made this resolution on Wednesday following a motion from Honourable Dominic Okafor drawing attention of the lawmakers to the 200 billion naira spent so far on the census. The lawmakers, however, disagreed on conducting the census this year due to insecurity. President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the postponement of the 2023 Population and Housing Census earlier scheduled for May 3 to 7 to a date to be determined by the incoming administration. The population…
THE House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, to brief the green chamber on the status of the conditional cash transfer programme of the Federal Government to 15 million households. The House, in a motion of urgent public importance on Tuesday, expressed worry about the handling of the programme. The House questioned the lack of transparency in the programme which has led to fraudulent practices. The minister is to give details on the collation of data and distribution of the funds. Mid-October, President Bola Tinubu launched the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer…
THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N2,176,791,286,033 for the second 2023 supplementary appropriation. Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, announced this on Monday while briefing State House reporters after the federal cabinet meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said the draft supplementary budget to be sent to National Assembly for approval would be used to finance urgent issues including N605 billion for national defense and security. According to him, “This is to sustain the gains made in security and these are…
THE Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, have arrived at the Kaduna refinery to inspect work progress on the ongoing quick-fix project at the refinery. The Minister and the Kyari are also in Kaduna for the 14th Refineries Rehabilitation Steering Committee meeting. The refinery project is linked with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the ministry of Petroleum and NNPCL to fix the nation’s moribund refineries in order to start refining of crude oil locally. The 110,000bpd capacity Kaduna refinery is one of…
NAIRA, on Thursday, appreciated against the US Dollar on the unofficial parallel market, commonly referred to as the black market. In afternoon trading, the exchange rate was N1,300 per dollar, representing a 0.76% increase (N10) compared to the N1,310 rate recorded on Tuesday on the black market. The persistent foreign exchange pressure, exacerbated by the Naira reaching as low as N1,310 per dollar, showed signs of improvement on Thursday as demand slightly eased. The most recent instance of Naira appreciation occurred on October 3, 2023, when it increased by 0.79% (N8) against the US Dollar. On Tuesday, the Naira experienced…
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), along with stakeholders, has set a four-year foreign policy strategy to reposition Nigeria in the international community. Alkasim Abdulkadir Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. He noted that the minister was working assiduously to achieve the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration through the foreign policy strategy. The Ministry’s strategic vision and operations are driven by the 4-D foreign policy strategy which is hinged on Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora as pillars for…
TWO more persons have been killed by terrorists in the Birnin-Gwari area of Kaduna State. News Point Nigeria reports that terrorists embarked on a shooting spree and injured three others at the Bagoma Dam – a city gate to Birnin-Gwari town from Niger State. Among the casualties are a vigilante member and one Internally Displaced Person (IDP) from the Dagara community. According to the Chairman of Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance, Ibrahim Abubakar, the sad incident occurred around 6:30pm after Maghrib prayers at KBY Filling station, Bagoma Dam. He said that three other people sustained various degree of…
THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mahmood Yakubu is meeting with chairmen of political parties at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The meeting is part of the stakeholders’ engagement scheduled by INEC ahead of the three off-circle governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo State. The INEC chairman is expected to brief the political parties about preparations, and the roles of political parties in the elections. It is also an avenue for the parties to speak to the INEC chairman about their concerns and observations ahead of the exercise.
LAGOS, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) generated the highest amounts of internally generated revenue in 2022. This is according to the recent Internally Generated Revenue report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which was released earlier today, October 23, 2023. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, these are the major highlights of the financial performance of various states in Nigeria during the year: Top Performers: Lagos, Rivers, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) stood out as the leading states in terms of IGR. They raked in impressive amounts of ₦651,145,633,085.30, ₦172,823,232,535.44, and ₦124,366,774,519.25, respectively. Underperforming States:…
THE Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr Dele Alake, says foreign illegal miners are sponsoring banditry in Nigeria. He stated this while briefing state house correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja on Monday. He, however, assured that his ministry is taking steps to inject new technologies into the mining sector to tackle the challenge and enable Nigeria to have optimum benefits from the solid minerals sector. He said his ministry is liaising with the Nigerian armed military and other security agencies in the country to boost security in areas where solid minerals abound…
The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Olufemi Peters, has implored new students of the university to exhibit exemplary character as they sojourn in their academic activities with the institution. Speaking at the 25th Matriculation Ceremony for the students of the university held in Abuja on Friday, Peters said: “Many people will be interested in your academic performance and character. I implore you, therefore, to be good and worthy ambassadors of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).” According to a statement by the Director, Media and Publicity, NOUN, Ibrahim Sheme, the ceremony, which matriculated 18,679 students cutting across the eight faculties of NOUN,…
THE Adamawa State High Court of Justice has scheduled the arraignment of suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barrister Hudu Ari Yunusa, for November 6th, 2023. Hudu faces multiple charges including announcing false electoral results, breaching his oath of neutrality, disorderly conduct during elections, inciting disturbance, and personating a public servant. Originally set for July 27th, 2023, the arraignment was delayed due to the REC’s failure to appear in court. As a result, Justice Benjamin Manji Lawan was forced to adjourn the case for the third time. The court then set October 23rd, 2023, in order to enable the electoral umpire…
OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 40-year-old ‘businessman’, Sherif Egbo, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja while attempting to board an Air France flight to Paris, France, after the anti-narcotics agents discovered he ingested illicit drugs. The spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi noted that the Spain-based Egbo was arrested on Saturday, October 14 after a body scanner revealed that he had wraps of illicit drugs in his stomach. “He was subsequently placed under observation at the agency’s exhibit recovery room where he excreted 93 pellets of heroin weighing 2.222 kilogrammes. In his statement,…
THE Abubakar Bukola Saraki Foundation says it has fully covered the medical expenses of renowned Nollywood actor, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu, as of Wednesday October 18, 2023. Announcing this in a statement shared on its Facebook page on Friday, the foundation urged others to come forward and assist the comic actor who is lying sick in an undisclosed hospital in Lagos in any capacity. The foundation said, “The Abubakar Bukola Saraki Foundation is honoured to have extended support to Mr John Okafor also known as Mr. Ibu, a renowned comedic icon who has graced our screens and…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has confirmed the appointment of Adewale Adeniyi as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service. This was contained in a statement on Friday by the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey. He said Adeniyi’s confirmation took effect on Thursday, October 19, 2023. “His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the confirmation of the appointment of Adewale Adeniyi (MFR) as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service,” the statement read. “The appointment takes effect from 19th October, 2023 and his tenure is in accordance with the…
VICE President Kashim Shettima says that Nigeria’s strategic partnership with China remains key to Africa’s development, calling for it to be scaled up. Shettima in a statement on Tuesday by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, said President Bola Tinubu’s administration has strategically tinkered with the country’s foreign policy to drive and boost investors’ confidence. Shettima stated this when he was hosted by China’s Vice President Han Zheng, at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing. The Vice President represented President Tinubu at the ongoing Belt And Road Initiative Forum. “Our mutually beneficial relationship will be further enhanced and upgraded to…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Tuesday launched the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer for 15 million households. The event, which coincided with the World Poverty Eradication Day, was held at the Press Gallery of the State House in Abuja. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume represented the President at the event. In attendance are the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Eradication, Betta Edu; Minister Of Finance, Wale Edun; World Bank Country Director, Shubham Chaudhuri; and the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator For Nigeria, Matthias Schmale; among other dignitaries. The President had in his maiden Independence…