GUNMEN suspected to be kidnappers have opened fire on two commercial buses and abducted scores of the passengers near Ochonyi village, along the Abuja-Lokoja highway. One of the passengers of the buses, who escaped while being led into the bush, Shedrack Jonathan, said he boarded the bus at Jabi in Abuja, travelling to Enugu, and that they ran into the gunmen. He said the incident happened around 7:33pm after Omoko village, last Thursday, while descending a sloppy part of the road, adding that they started hearing gunshots and the bus suddenly veered off the road into the bush. He added…
Author: Gloria Lamar Johnson
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THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has decried its inability to secure convictions in corruption cases, including high-profile ones. The spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujiaren, in an interview with journalists in Kaduna State, highlighted some of the challenges impeding the speedy prosecution of corruption cases and securing convictions. According to him, the losses are due to what he described as frivolous court judgements based on technicalities rather than the facts and national interest, as well as arbitrary adjournment of corruption cases by courts, among other factors. Uwajaren, who shared the insight at a one-day workshop for media practitioners…
THE Plateau State Police Command says its personnel intercepted a heavy-duty truck transporting assorted drinks and over 100 bags packed with what appeared to be Cannabis sativa. The Commissioner of Police, Okoro Julius Alawari, disclosed this on Friday while speaking to journalists at the state police headquarters in Jos. Alawari stated that a team of personnel on patrol during a stop-and-search exercise along Kwata Road in the Jos South Local Government Area (LGA) discovered the exhibits hidden behind the drinks inside the truck. The patrol unit of the command reportedly received intelligence of a truck offloading a consignment suspected to…
THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned Nigerians to prepare for the massive flood in the coming days as Cameroon is expected to open Lagdo Dam situated on Benue River. NEMA revealed this in a recent statement signed by the Director, African Affairs, Ambassador Umar Salisu. The agency affirmed that both Nigeria and Cameroon are to experience flooding, as Lagdo Dam authorities, will release modulated variable small amount of water. It, therefore, called on stakeholder organisations to sensitise the people, so as to engage in activities that will mitigate the flood. “I have the honour to inform that the…
GUNMEN have kidnapped the Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, Kawu Yakasai. He was kidnapped from his village in the Soba Local Government Area at about 9pm on Friday. As of press time, the kidnappers were yet to establish any contact with the family of the victim or the Kaduna State APC leadership. Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has condemned the abduction of the APC official. The governor, in a short statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Mohammed Shehu, directed security agencies to go after the kidnappers and ensure the safe return of…
THE Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared the sum of N966.110 billion for July from the Federation Revenue Account to the Federal Government, States and Local Councils. This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting, in Abuja, Tuesday. The meeting was the first for the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun. The N966.110 billion total distributable revenue comprised statutory revenue of N397.419 billion, Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N271.947 billion, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N12.840 billion and Exchange Difference revenue…
FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan, former vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa and Rwanda President, Paul Kagame, have been named peace icons in Africa by an international peace-based organisation, Peace Ambassador Agency Worldwide. Others on the list include Kenyan President, William Ruto, President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adeshina; Chairman of United Bank of Africa Group, Tony Elumelu; Chairman Geregu Power PLC, Mr. Femi Otedola; President of LoveWorld Incorporated, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome; and the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammadu Abubakar, among others. Speaking at a press conference on Friday in Abuja during the unveiling of 100 personalities…
AMID shortage of foreign exchange, Nigeria’s inflation rate rose to 24.08% in July 2023, the highest in years. The July 2023 rate showed an increase of 1.29% points when compared to the previous month’s which was 22.79%, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released on Tuesday. The CPI measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services. On July 25, 2023, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) raised the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), which measures interest rate, from 18.5 percent to 18.75%. The interest rate increase occurred amid soaring food…
A NEWLY-WED couple has been killed and another injured when suspected bandits attacked BECO Comprehensive Secondary School in Kwi, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. The incident happened on Monday with the couple, who married in March, said to be teachers in the school while the injured is the vice principal who survived with gunshot wounds. While narrating the incident to News Point Nigeria, the school principal Dandoro Gyang explained that the staff of the school was holding a meeting within the premises when some of the suspected herders invaded the institution with their cattle and started shooting. He…
TWENTY persons were reportedly killed with over 10 others injured by unknown gunmen in Heipang District of Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State in North Central Nigeria. Residents of the community narrated that the attackers came in the early hours of Thursday and invaded the community while they were sleeping. The efforts of vigilantes in the community were not enough to ward off the attackers who had superior firepower against the vigilantes’ Dane guns. The duel with the attackers resulted in the death of four of the vigilantes as the attackers set some houses on fire, burning residents who…
THE Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu – as Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to persuade the sub-regional body to adopt diplomatic channels in handling issues arising from the seize of power by the military junta recently in Niger Republic. Although the professional body of editors in Nigeria noted that military intervention is now regarded as an aberration around the world, it nevertheless, urged the ECOWAS to employ ‘’strategic engagement and diplomacy’’ in ensuring that democratic structures are restored in the country. The NGE also observed that the hike in pump…
THE President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, on Monday, shed light on organised labour’s private meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja last Wednesday as nationwide protests broke out over the rising cost of living. Ajaero, who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today monitored by News Point Nigeria, said the President attempted to reduce the presidential fleet, among other decisions aimed at reducing the cost of governance. Asked if the labour leaders demanded government officials must also tighten their proverbial belts, Ajaero said that line of questioning led to Tinubu’s rationale for his staff size which has…
A FIRST-CLASS traditional ruler in Nasarawa State, the Emir of Gurku, Jibrin Mohammed, and his wife, has been abducted. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, confirmed the incident to journalists. He disclosed that the Emir was taken away from his palace which is located a few kilometres from the Mararraba main town of Karu Local Government Area on Sunday night by kidnappers alongside his wife. He added that a combined Police team in collaboration with vigilante groups combed the surrounding bushes of the area after receiving a distress call but no trace of the abductees. Efforts to rescue…
THE Kaduna State Government says it is working with with state legislature to enact a law that will provide for a six months paid exclusive breastfeeding for working mothers in both private and public sectors. This was disclosed by the Nutrition Officer of the State Primary Healthcare Board, Mrs Ramatu Musa, during a community engagement forum with key stakeholders in collaboration with an international non governmental organization, Alive and Thrive as part of occasions to mark the international breastfeeding week. Stakeholders at the forum stressed the importance of exclusive breastfeeding to tackle the scourge of malnutrition in children as well…
THE Nigerian Navy has countered an allegation of a vessel carrying stolen crude oil which the Tantita Security Services supposedly intercepted in the Koko area of Delta State on Wednesday. Tantita Security outfit is a private security company owned by Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo, an ex-Niger Delta agitator who recently signed a contract with the Federal Government to protect oil pipelines. The 1,117-tonne vessel purportedly intercepted was carrying about 8,100 barrels of crude, the security outfit said. Operatives of the Tantita Security said the vessel, tagged MT Praisel, was flying a Togolese flag and was being escorted by a…
TWO Priests of St Luke’s Catholic Church, Gyedna, Garam Ward in Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State, Fr Paul Sanogo and Seminarian Melchior have been reportedly abducted by gunmen suspected to be bandits. This newspaper gathered that the priests were kidnapped in the early hours of Thursday at their residence in Gyedna. Residents told this newspaper that the kidnappers shot into the air for over an hour before they whisked away the two priests. The Catholic Bishop of Minna, Most Rev Dr Martin Igwe Uzoukwu in a message he sent to church members and shared with our correspondent said…
SUSPECTED kidnappers have killed a relative of the former senator representing Kwara South in the National Assembly, Simeon Suleiman Ajibola. The deceased, Biodun Ajibola, was said to be the manager of the farm owned by the former lawmaker who hails from Ekiti Local Government Area of the state. The incident, this newspaper gathered, happened on Monday around 8:00 am. The manager was allegedly killed while trying to resist the kidnap around Isapa area of the council. A source told our correspondent that further attempts to abduct the manager’s driver, Felix Segun Adeleye, failed after the kidnappers were distracted by some…
THE Super Falcons are to face England in the round of 16 at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Nigeria finished runners-up in Group B of the competition after a goalless draw with Ireland on Monday. A day after that, the Lionesses trounced China 1-6 to confirm the matchup with Coach Randy Waldrum’s girls. That game is billed for Monday, August 7th, 2023.
A NIGERIAN doctor based in the United Kingdom has lost custody of his 16-year-old son to the government after flogging him with a belt. This was revealed by a child rights advocate known as pepstalk1 on her Instagram page on Wednesday. She narrated that the Nigerian doctor flogged his son after he caught him and his friends invited over to study together watching an inappropriate video. His friends reportedly informed the police and told them that while the father was beating his son with a belt, the doctor repeatedly said, “Is this how you want to become a doctor?” She…
THE Super Falcons came from a goal down to beat Australia 3-2 in a Group B game at the 2023 Women’s World Cup on Thursday. Emily van Egmund gave the Maltidas the advantage just into extra time in the first half after a poor clearance from the Nigerians. But Coach Randy Waldrum’s girls responded minutes later to level the scoreline. Rasheedat Ajibade was the provider as Uchenna Kanu sent the ball to the back of the Austrialians’ post. That strike saw both sides heading into the tunnel with the match all square. While Austrialians pushed for a second goal of…