GUNMEN, who abducted 31 Edo train passengers on Saturday have allegedly demanded N620m ransom for their release. News Point Nigeria gathered on Monday that the terrorists had presented their demands to the families of the abductees. The Executive Director, Esan Youth for Good Governance and Social Justice, Benson Odia, disclosed that the kidnappers were demanding N20m for each victim. This was as the police anti-terrorism squad and the Nigerian Railway Corporation on Monday met to strategise on ways to rescue the train passengers. Speaking with reporters stated that the demand was absurd, calling on the authorities to intensify efforts in rescuing…
Author: Peter Noah KC
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ON Monday, the President of Igueben Area Customary Court, Mrs Precious Aigbonoga, was abducted by gunmen around Ugoneki axis on her way to Court in Igueben Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo. The Chairman of the Lion Bar, Chief Nosa Edo-Osagie, in a statement by Mr Festus Usiobaifo, the Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin branch, expressed sadness over the abduction. Edo-Osagie, while condemning the act in strong terms, expressed worry over bandits operation in the area and kidnapping of Aigbonoga, who he described as an easygoing, gentle, and hardworking judicial officer. Meanwhile, the Dream Team is…
THE Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has said that he will not feel bad to buy petroleum at N300 per litre. He said this in Abuja on Monday while responding to questions from journalists during the 16th edition of the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration Scorecard (2015 – 2023). He said: “You asked if we can achieve N40 per litre? I will say ‘yes’ but this is dependent on if we are able to also achieve, within this period, improvement in exchange rate. “If we can achieve one dollar to one naira exchange rate within this time, we…
THE Edo State Commissioner for Communications and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare has revealed that, security operatives have arrested one of the suspected kidnappers involved in the abduction of many passengers at the Igueben train station, in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State. The commissioner disclosed this during a press briefing in Benin City, adding that one out of the many persons who were kidnapped at the train station has escaped from the kidnappers. He said: “After an estimated number of 32 persons were kidnapped, the Police, vigilante, and local hunters swung into action, combing the bushes around the vicinity. One…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission has said that youths constitute the highest number of registered voters who will cast votes in the 2023 general election. The National Commissioner of INEC in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, stated this in Awka, on Saturday, during the Commission’s engagement with identified groups on the roles of the youth ahead of the 2023 general election. Okoye said from INEC’s records, the youth hold the ace for the determination of the outcome of the 2023 elections. He said out of a total of 9,518,756 valid newly registered voters between June 28,…
NATIONAL Vice Chairman of APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Friday, received in audience, the leadership of 250 Presidential Support Groups based in Akwa Ibom State, with a charge on them to ensure the victory for the party at all levels in the forthcoming general elections. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Jackson Udom, quoted the former Senate Minority Leader while receiving the groups in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the state as saying, ” I am highly elated with these groups. I am even more elated that you have all resolved to work for…
THE timely intervention by operatives of the Plateau State Police Command on Friday night prevented suspected kidnappers from abducting the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Yakubu Sanda. In a statement signed by Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Alfred Alabo, the incident occurred on the Speaker’s arrival at his residence in Federal Low-Cost Area of Jos South Local Government Area (LGA). Sanda was said to have been accosted by three gunmen who attempted to forcefully gain entrance into the house, but they were prevented by security personnel on duty. The PPRO stated that the timely response of the…
A PEOPLES Democratic Party candidate for Pengana Constituency in Plateau State House of Assembly, Mathew Akawu, is dead. It was learnt that Akawu died in a hospital on Friday morning after a brief illness. A family source who confirmed the development in Jos on Friday said that the former school principal died a few hours after returning from a traditional festival in his Bassa Local Government Area of the state. The family member said, “It’s true that we lost the PDP candidate this Friday morning. “He went for their traditional festival in Bassa and came back. But shortly afterwards, he…
ABOUT 32 players from the Cameroon U-17 team have failed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) screening aimed to verify their age. According to BBC, the test was mandated by Samuel Eto, the president of the Cameroonian FA. MRI screening is a scan of the players’ bone density to accurately ascertain their true age. Out of the initial squad of 30 players who camped in Mbankomo, Yaounde, 21 players failed that test. Another 11 players have also failed the scan done on Tuesday. Jean Pierre Fiala, the coach of the team, is faced with the dilemma of putting together a squad ahead…
NIGERIA will keep its petrol subsidy until mid-2023 and has set aside N3.36 trillion to spend on it, Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed said on Wednesday. News Point Nigeria gathered that Africa’s biggest economy spent N2.91 trillion towards a petrol subsidy between January and September 2022, a cost the government has blamed for dwindling public finances. President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday, signed the 2023 budget of N21.83 trillion into law after lawmakers increased the size by 6.4% and raised the oil price assumption. “Petrol subsidy will remain up to mid-2023 based on the 18-month extension announced early 2022,” Ahmed said.…
VICE-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, has hailed his predecessor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, for his contributions to the party’s campaigns. Speaking on Wednesday at PDP campaign rallies at Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South-West and Udu Local Government Areas of the State, Okowa stated that the PDP is happy with the way the former Governor is reconciling members of the party. “The work you (Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan) are doing in reconciling members of our party, we are happy with it and we can’t thank you enough,” Okowa told Uduaghan. At the rallies, the…
THE presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso says it is wrong for any person who is considered a statesman to go about endorsing candidates ahead of the February 25 presidential election in Nigeria. “I want to advise our leaders: they should stop disgracing themselves. We have so much respect for them. If you say you don’t like me, no problem,” the former Kano State governor said on Wednesday in Benin City, the Edo State capital. Kwankwaso was hosted by Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Government House ahead of his presidential campaign flag off in the…
CAPE Verde’s national stadium is to be renamed after Pele, the country’s prime minister has said. The 15,000-seater Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde, located just outside the capital Praia, will become the Pele Stadium. The news comes after Fifa’s president Gianna Infantino proposed – while speaking at Pele’s memorial service in Brazil – that every country should name a stadium after the footballing legend who died on 29 December, aged 82. “As a tribute and recognition to this figure that makes us all great, I manifest the intention of naming our national stadium as “Pele Stadium”, in an initiative that,…
THE relief being experienced by Nigerians at petrol retail outlets across the country over availability of the products may be shortlived as the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, (PTD-NUPENG) has threathened strike over what they described as illegal activities and high-handedness of security agents, particulalrly the Military Task Force operating in the Port Harcourt zone of the Union. National Chairman of the PTD-NUPENG, Comrade Lucky Osesua told News Point Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday that men of the Military Task Force operating in Port Harcourt burnt two trucks conveying HPFO, otherwise known as black…
PALPABLE fear has enveloped parts of Imo State following the attack on a former Governor of the State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, by gunmen in Ehime Mbano local government area of the State on Monday. This is even as unknown gunmen attacked and burned down the Afor Atta Police Divisional headquarters in Njaba local government area of the State on Tuesday. Ohakim was on Monday ambushed by yet-to-be identified gunmen at Oriagu, Ehime Mbano local government area of the State. Four of police escorts and a driver were gunned down during the shooting that ensued. The former governor expressed gratitude to…
A FORMER military governor of Osun state, Colonel Anthony Uzoma Obi (rtd), is dead. His death was announced in a statement by the family. It reads: We the Family of His Excellency, Rtd Colonel Anthony Uzoma Obi humbly announce the gentle passing of our Patriarch, and head of the family on Saturday, 1st of January 2022 by 6:03 PM. “Our father was a Lion, a warrior, a brave soldier who served the Nation Nigeria as a Two Time Military Administrator and Governor of Osun State, and Abia State Nigeria. “Anthony Uzoma Obi was a loving husband first, and a devoted…
FLEEING gunmen on Monday attacked a convoy of a former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, and killed four of his police orderlies in the process. Ohakim’s convoy was attacked at Oriagu in the Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state on Monday evening. Ohakim who escaped by the whiskers had his backup vehicle bombed, leading to the death of the four policemen in his convoy. Our correspondent gathered that Ohakim was with two of his children and was returning from a visit when the gunmen struck. A source close to the ex-governor disclosed that it took the bravery…
A MEDICAL Centre, Warri, in Delta (name withheld) state has allegedly seized a newborn for non-payment of a N383,500 hospital bill for over one month. It was gathered that the mother of the twins, Mrs Akpesiri Ojiko delivered the two babies on November 17, 2022, at the general hospital Warri. It was learnt that one of the babies was taken to a private Hospital on referral by the general hospital as a result of a lack of bed space. Narrating her ordeal, Mrs Ojiko appealed to the Delta State government and well-meaning individuals to assist in upsetting the medical bill…
PAUL Onuachu’s jersey was among those that broke the Pro League record for charity jersey sales. Onuachu, who has scored 70 goals in 99 matches for the Genks, is ranked third in the record-breaking shirt sales for solidarity campaign. The attacker’s shirt was among the jersey overall to initiate the wave of jersey sales in the fourteenth iteration of the campaign. The fourteenth edition smashed records with 155,000 euros raised, which is 3,000 more than the previous year. Three-time winner of the Belgian First Division, Simon Mignolet, made Club Brugge’s jersey stand out by selling the most shirts and raising…
THREE Super Eagles stars were in action as the League 1 returns, and they were all on the winning side. Simon saw 64 minutes of action in Nantes’ 1-0 victory against Auxerre in their first game of 2023 at the Stade de la Beaujoire. The Eagles winger got the nod to start for Nantes. The 27-year-old was expected to be Nantes’ main outlet, but he could not offer much. Simon registered 14 accurate passes, three successful dribbles, and three crosses. However, he was taken out for Marcus Coco in the 64th minute. Coco made his presence felt within ten minutes…