Author: Peter Noah KC

THE Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the posting of 12 Commissioners of Police with a charge to be totally loyal to the nation. In a statement on Tuesday, PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, listed the new CPs as Haruna Gabriel Garba (Kano), Tajudeen Abass (FCT), Oladimeji Yomi Olarewaju (Delta), Taiwo Jesubiyi (Ogun) and Julius Okoro (Ondo). Others are – Romokere Ibiani, Bayelsa State Command; Mohammed Bunu, Yobe State Command; Garba Musa Yusuf, Kaduna State Command; Garba Ahmed, Zamfara State Command; Hayatu Kaigama Ali, Sokoto State Command and Aliyu Musa, Katsina State Command. Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Solomon Arase, a…

THE Federal Government has commenced the payment of the 40 per cent pay rise arrears for civil servants, News Point Nigeria has reliably learnt. Our correspondent who spoke to some federal civil servants on Saturday learnt that workers started receiving bank alerts of the arrears on Saturday, April 22, 2023. A high-ranking civil servant who spoke to this newspaper anonymously in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, noted that the arrears came in alongside the April 2023 salary. “I received my own arrears today. Some of our other colleagues have also confirmed receipt of their arrears. It came in alongside our…

AUTHORITIES of the Nigerian Armed Forces have disclosed that its troops neutralized sixty-three (63) Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa terrorists between the beginning of March and the 15th of April. In addition to neutralizing the terrorists, the troops also liberated over 150 victims in the course of their different operations across the country, including Hadarin Daji, Hadin Kai, and Delta Safe. Major General Musa Danmadani, the Director Defence Media Operations told newsmen at the Defence Headquarters on Thursday, that the troops in the process also recovered several items including about thirty-six (36) ak-47 rifles, ak-47 magazines, other…

THE World Bank says Nigeria spent 96.3 percent of its 2022 revenue on servicing its debts. This was contained in the Macro Poverty Outlook for Nigeria: April 2023 brief released by the international financial institution. According to the report obtained by News Point Nigeria, the country’s fiscal position deteriorated in 2022, leaving the cost of the petrol subsidy to increase from 0.7 percent to 2.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). “This has kept the public debt stock at over 38 percent of GDP and pushed the debt service to revenue ratio from 83.2 percent in 2021 to 96.3 percent…

THE Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Office has revealed why the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi was harassed by immigration officers at Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom. Spokesman for the Campaign Council, Diran Onifade, in a statement on Wednesday said the former Anambra State governor was detained and questioned for a duplication offense which suggests that someone has been impersonating Obi in London. According to Mr Onifade, the LP’s Presidential Candidate who is just back from London, where he celebrated Easter, was saved by the spontaneous reaction of Nigerians at Heathrow Airport. Onifade said Obi arrived the Heathrow…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to dismiss a petition filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Obi and the LP filed a petition challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the President-Elect. They also claimed that Tinubu’s running mate and Vice-President-Elect, Kashim Shettima had a double nomination in contravention of the Electoral Act 2022. The petitioners asserted that the election was marred by rigging and manipulations adding that the INEC violated its own regulations when it announced the results when…

A FEDERAL Capital Territory High Court has issued an order restraining the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure; National Secretary, Farouk Ibrahim and two others from parading themselves as national officers of the party. Others stopped from parading themselves as national officers are the National Organising Secretary, Clement Ojukwu and the Treasurer, Oluchi Opara. Justice Hamza Muazu issued the restraining order while ruling in ex-parte application argued by a James Onoja. In an application, Onoja told the court how the restrained National officers allegedly forged several documents of the FCT High Court to carry out unlawful substitutions in…

THE US Justice Department the final resolution of two civil cases seeking the forfeiture of various luxury assets that were the proceeds of foreign corruption offenses and were laundered in and through the United States. With the conclusion of the cases, the department has recovered roughly $53.1 million in cash – constituting the net liquidated value of the defendant’s assets – plus a promissory note with a principal value of $16 million. According to court documents, from 2011 to 2015, Nigerian businessmen Kolawole Akanni Aluko and Olajide Omokore conspired with others to pay bribes to Nigeria’s former Minister for Petroleum…

THE Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu says he will withdraw from the presidential race of the 10th National Assembly if the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu tells him to step down. Kalu stated this on Tuesday while briefing State House reporters after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari over his Senate Presidency ambition. Informing the President of his intention to become the next Senate President, the former Abia State governor said the two of them simply shared laughter over the issue as Buhari issued no response, maintaining an ambiguous mood. The lawmaker, however, stated that he has not got any…

FORMER Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha has withdrawn from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s governorship primary in the South-East state. The former governor was screened and cleared a few days ago by the PDP to contest the party’s primary ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Imo State. However, in a letter dated March 27, 2023, Ihedioha informed the PDP leadership of his “personal sacrifice” for a “consensus candidate” by the party. In January 2020, the Supreme Court sacked Ihedioha as the governor of Imo State after barely seven months in office. The seven-man panel led by Chief Justice…

SUPER Eagles came back to revenge a home defeat to Guinea-Bissau, recording a 1-0 win against same opposition on Monday. The Djurtus shocked everyone on Friday when they recorded a 1-0 victory over the Super Eagles in Abuja. However, a first-half penalty from Moses Simon was enough for Jose Peseiro’s men to win the reverse fixture. With the result, Nigeria return back to the top of Group A with nine points with two more points than second placed Guinea-Bissau. The slim victory also ended a four-match losing streak for the Nigerians who have won the AFCON three times. The third…

THE Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, has urged the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, to integrate some highly placed opposition members into his administration, including Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike. Umahi made the remarks on Monday at commissioning of the remodelled Community Secondary School, Okoro Nu Odo, in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State. The governor highlighted the role Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), played in the election of Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, popularly referred to as Jagaban; and his running mate Kashim Shettima. “God, directly and indirectly, made Governor Wike…

YET-to-be identified gunmen have allegedly killed three personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Imo State. The incident which happened at EkeIsu market in Obiangwu Community in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of the state has thrown the community into panic. A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the slain corps were attacked in the early hours of Monday. He said that the NSCDC personnel were riding in a vehicle when they were ambushed and killed by their attackers, while noting that security operatives had taken over the community. It…

AFTER weeks of calmness, gunmen on Sunday resumed attacks on security checkpoints in Enugu State, reportedly killing two policemen. News Point Nigeria reports that the attack happened before 12.00pm at a police checkpoint between Kenyatta Market and the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC) Stadium. A source hinted that the policemen, who were on stop and search, were caught unawares. A viral video trending on social media shows two of the officers lying in a pool of their blood inside gutters. The Enugu Police Command is yet to issue any statement on the incident.

THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in Abia State has taken into custody Six suspects for illegal dealings in petroleum products. State commandant, CC Paul Igwebuike while briefing newsmen in Umuahia made it clear that activities of the suspects and their partners in crime constitute economic sabotage against the nation and must not be allowed to foster as he made it clear that he would rely on intelligence driven activities to help nib the nefarious acts of oil vandals. And upon the conclusion of investigation the suspects will be charged to court for diligent prosecution. One of the…

NIGERIA coach Jose Peseiro has said his team were unlucky to suffer a shock home loss at the hands of Guinea Bissau in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Guinea Bissau, who are ranked a lowly 118th in the world by FIFA, pulled off a 1-0 win against the star-studded Super Eagles Friday to go top of Group A of 2023 Africa Cup qualifiers. Peseiro blamed bad luck for his fifth loss in charge of Nigeria. “We missed many goals. We could have been here for another hour and not score. Sometimes it happens in football,” the disappointed Portuguese…

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned the “persistent” aversion to people of southeastern extraction, which he describes as Igbophobia. News Point Nigeria reports that, speaking at an event in Anambra State to commemorate Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s one year in office, Obasanjo recalled his work with the professor of economics as well as the current Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. In Obasanjo’s administration which spanned 1999 to 2007, Soludo served as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), while Okonjo-Iweala was the Minister of Finance. The former president stated that Soludo, who worked closely…

CHIEF Humphrey Anumodu an aspirant for the ticket of the Labour Party in the upcoming Governorship election in Imo State has been found dead in his house. Chief Anumodu, a native of Mbieri Ancient Kingdom of Imo state was reportedly found dead in his house in what family sources described as “spiritual attack.” It was gathered that the late politician had paid the sum of 25 million Naira for Labour Party’s Governorship form for the November 11th 2023 Guber contest. Chief Anumudu, a respected legal luminary and an astute politician was also the Chief Executive Officer of Globe Motors. He…

GUINEA Bissau stunned Nigeria 0-1 in a Group A 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Friday. A 26th-minute goal was all the visitors needed to shock the 2013 AFCON winners on home soil and hand them a famous victory. That was Guinea Bissau’s first-ever win against the Super Eagles. The first time both sides met was at the 2021 AFCON as Nigeria defeated them 2-0 in a group stage game. Heading into Friday’s match, Nigeria was brimming with confidence having Serie A topscorer Victor Osimhen and Atalanta’s Lookman Ademola in their…

FORMER Senate President Pius Anyim reacted to his suspension by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for alleged anti-party activities, describing the action by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) as disappointing. In the wake of the party’s loss at last month’s presidential election, the PDP on Thursday suspended Anyim and other prominent leaders, former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose; Prof Dennis Ityavyar, and Aslam Aliyu. But Anyim, in a statement on Friday, defended his support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Franis Nwifuru, who went on to defeat the PDP’s Ifeanyi Odii. “It is difficult…