Author: Bala Muhammad

INSPECTOR-GENERAL of Police, Kayode Edbetokun, has said that the Police is not at war with the military. Egbetokun said this during a visit to the Yola command of the Nigeria Police Force, where he offered his sympathies to the family of the late Inspector Jacob Daniel, who was murdered during an invasion of the police quarter guard by soldiers. He told his men that the recent clash between the police and army was being addressed by the highest security authorities in the country. Edbetokun condemned the attack and assured the family of the late officer that justice would be served.…

TROOPS of the Nigerian Army and local vigilantes have rescued six hostages abducted by bandits in a forest in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The all-male hostages were rescued in good condition on Friday and had been reunited with their families. This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by the Special Adviser to Governor Nasir Idris on Media and Publicity, Malam Yahaya Sarki. “The victims have been reported missing, I mean kidnapped for some time now. Security operatives in the area comprising the army and the local vigilante were alerted and they swung into action inside the…

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, on Thursday, said it would end the importation of refined petroleum products by December 2024 as all the country’s refineries would be operational by then. It also projected that the national oil firm would grow its revenue to N4.5tn at the end of 2023 adding that the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, under NNPCL’s management, would be completed by December this year. The Group Chief Officer of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari, disclosed this when he led officials of the company to a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen…

THE Federal Government has said plans are underway to conduct head counts of Almajiris in the country and enroll them into the homegrown school feeding programme by the present administration. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Schools Feeding, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, revealed this during a courtesy call on the Executive Governor of Nasarawa state, Abdullahi A. Sule in Lafia. A statement by Special Assistant to the SSA, Mr Oyedokun Oyewumi indicated that the programme targets children in public schools, adding that her office is open to suggestions. She said her interactions with relevant authorities demonstrates President Bola Ahmed…

OPERATIVES of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Friday stormed the Kaduna State Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the arrest of some suspected Internet fraudsters. The suspects included some serving military personnel. The soldiers arrived at the EFCC office sited at Number 4, Wurno Road in the Kaduna State capital around 10 am in about three Hilux patrol vans and surrounded the main gate of the anti-graft commission office thereby preventing the EFCC officials from going in or out of your offices. In what resembled a combat scenario, the Air Force soldiers and policemen…

AMINA Hassan, a 20-year-old bride from Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa State, has been arrested for reportedly setting her husband’s newly built house on fire. Amina’s action was reportedly triggered by her husband’s refusal to grant her a divorce. The couple were said to have made the agreement before their marriage. According to reports, Amina had informed her parents that she was no longer interested in the marriage a few days before the wedding. However, they insisted that the wedding must go ahead as they had already distributed invitation cards. After the wedding, she sought the help of…

THE National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has named Setonji Koshoedo the party’s acting National Secretary. Until his appointment, Koshoedo was the Deputy National Secretary of the party. PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, announced the appointment after the NWC meeting on Tuesday, Damagum explained that Koshoedo’s appointment is pending the determination of the case before the Enugu High Court. “We decided that the Deputy National Secretary should take over in an acting capacity pending the resolution of the Court case. We also direct parties involved in the Court case to stand down action for the party’s due…

PRESIDENT of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero on Friday said that he was arrested in Owerri by the Police and was handed over to waiting thugs that got him thoroughly beaten. He said that the thugs who were about seven in number dragged him on the floor like a common criminal. Briefing journalists in Abuja, the NLC president said the NLC wrote to all the security agencies before they went to the state for the protest on November I. According to him, workers who arrived at the venue of the protest on that day around 7 am…

THE Court of Appeal in Abuja has sacked Musa Iliyasu Kwankwaso of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and reinstated Yusuf Umar Datti of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam Federal Constituency election in Kano State. The three-man panel led by Justice Tunde Oyebamiji Awotoye held that Datti’s appeal had merit and allowed it. The panel further averred that the tribunal was wrong to have counted the date of the appellant’s resignation on the date of his party primary, adding that Section 77 of the Electoral Act was misapplied as the issue of membership of a political…

THE Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has fixed Monday for hearing in the appeal of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) against his All Progressive Congress (APC) rival, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna. The governor had filed an appeal to challenge the nullification of his election by the Kano Election Petition Tribunal. This newspaper reports that a three-man panel of judges led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay sacked Yusuf on September 20, 2023, by declaring 165,663 of his votes invalid because “they were not signed or stamped by INEC”. Yusuf had described the tribunal’s verdict as “unfair”…

AT least, 123 schools have reportedly been closed down completely in Katsina State due to activities of bandits and other criminal elements terrorizing citizens of the State. Similarly, a total of 58 healthcare facilities across the state not even the dispensaries are not working according to the State Government. The Special Advisor to Governor Dikko Radda on Victims of Banditry and IDPs, Sa’idu Ibrahim Danja disclosed this on Thursday in Katsina at the launch of the Project Steering Committee for the International Organization For Migration’s “Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation in Northwest Nigeria”. “Access to justice is no longer there…

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has welcomed the intervention of President Bola Tinubu into the Rivers State crisis, calling on all parties to sheathe their sword. This was contained in a communique issued by the governors on Tuesday evening after they met at the Oyo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja to discuss the crisis in the oil-rich state and other national issues. “The PDP Governors were alarmed at the recent developments in Rivers State and welcome the intervention of Mr. President to bring the crises to an end,” the communique signed by the Chairman of the Forum and…

THE Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has named the Dangote Cement Plc as the best Contributing Employer for the year 2022 in Kogi State. In a letter seen by this reporter, the Fund said the award is in recognition of the company’s promotion of “human resource development with a view to generating a pool of indigenous training manpower sufficient to meet the need of the economy of Kogi State and the nation in general.” Similarly, in their subsequent visit to the Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana Manager ITF Area Office Lokoja, Mr. Sokoto A. Simon said the award was also in recognition…

THE Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Mesfin Tasew has provided an insight into the involvement of the East African Airline in the setting up of Nigeria Air, saying the airline almost withdrew but the government insisted it should continue with the process. This is the first time the Ethiopian Airlines leadership would speak on the controversy over the airline which dogged the last minutes of the immediate past administration. Former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika had floated the airline on May 27 which did not see the light of the day as it was later discovered…

THE Sokoto State Election Petition Tribunal has upheld the election of Aminu Tambuwal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the duly elected Senator for Sokoto South Senatorial District. Abdullahi Danbaba of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had filed a petition challenging the victory of Tambuwal praying that the Tribunal declare the election inconclusive for not complying substantially with the provisions of the Electoral Act. Danbaba had also asked the Tribunal to order a re-election in 28 polling units where he alleged election did not hold during the February and April substantive and supplementary polls. The Tribunal, in a unanimous…

THE Wazirin Fika, Alhaji Adamu Fika, is dead, the Danburan of Fika, Alhaji Idris Adamu Kukuri, confirmed the news to this newspaper in a telephone chat last night. He said details of the burial arrangement of the deceased would be announced after consultations with the Emir of Fika, Alhaji Muhammadu Abali. However, family sources and acquaintances said the elder statesman reportedly died last night at the age 90 while being brought back to Nigeria from the United Kingdom where he was taken for treatment. Hassan Gimba Ahmed, who is very close to the family of the deceased, said, “He was…

THE Adamawa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has fixed October 28, 2023, to deliver judgment on the suit challenging the election of Governor ahmadu Fintiri. News Point Nigeria reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Senator Aishatu Binani Dahiru had filed a petition against the declaration of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the March 2023 gov election. In addition to the charges of extensive violations of the electoral law and fraudulent voting practices, APC and Binani in their petition had contended that the Tribunal should validate Hudu Yunusa Ari’s declaration…

THE Federal Government has won its case against Process & Industrial Developments (P&ID) Limited, which sought enforcement of $11 billion debt in its favour. The development comes after five years of intense legal battle. A UK court on Monday quashed the enforcement of the judgment on the grounds that it was fraudulently obtained. In a ruling, Robin Knowles, the Justice of the Commercial Courts of England and Wales, upheld Nigeria’s prayer that the judgment should be quashed. Nigeria had argued that it was a victim of bribery and deception in the controversial gas deal. The P&ID controversy dates back to…

NIGERIAN Navy Ship BEECROFT patrol team has intercepted 11 Stowaways aboard GWANGZHOU HIGHWAY PANAMA ship enroute Ghana. According to a statement by the Base Information Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT, H.A Collins, on Thursday, the individuals were intercepted on Tuesday at about 7pm during a routine patrol of Navy Ship BEECROFT patrol team. He said that the Western Regional Control Centre (WRCC) was immediately informed and prompted the vessel to halt within Lagos anchorage. “Initially, 4 stowaways were apprehended from the stern of the vessel.   However, information provided by these individuals revealed the presence of additional stowaways inside…

GUNMEN have abducted the wife and two children of the lawmaker representing Ipaiye/Malete/Olooru of Moro Local Government in the Kwara State House of Assembly. The abductors, our correspondent gathered, stormed the residence of the lawmaker around 1am on Monday. According to a community leader in Shao, “the abductors came in their numbers shooting sporadically before whisking the victims away into the nearby bush”. “Their whereabouts have remained unknown although one of them who contacted the family was yet to make a demand for ransom, saying he was not with the others in the forest yet to harmonise the agreed price.…