Author: Gloria Lamar Johnson

BARELY seven months after a boat mishap claimed the lives of over one hundred villagers in the Gbajibo community of Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State, another tragic incident has occurred in the same area. This time, a boat carrying passengers returning from a market trip in Niger State capsized, resulting in the death of 27 people. An eyewitness and survivor of the incident recounted that the tragedy occurred three nights ago while they were returning from Niger State. According to the account, the boat capsized due to overloading. ‎ Although he could not confirm the exact number of…

BENUE State Police Command has confirmed the death of a final-year student of Kwararafa University in Wukari, Taraba State, identified as Ahenjir Emmanuella, killed by a stray bullet from a policeman. The command has also ordered a detailed investigation into the death of the final year student allegedly shot dead by a police officer on stop and search duty. Friends and families of the deceased had on Friday accused the police of allegedly shooting to death the final year student. It was gathered that the student, who was with her friends, was shot by a police officer during a stop-and-search…

A FORMER presidential spokesman, Laolu Akande, has commended the registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for admitting to errors in the conduct of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Oloyede, in a rare admission, told a news conference in Abuja earlier in the week that there were glitches in the recently-conducted UTME. His action has split opinions among Nigerians. But Laolu said the JAMB chief deserves commendation for the work he has done so far in the fight against examination malpractice. “A lot of cheating is going on. We are having very troubling circumstances and situations…

UNKNOWN gunmen have abducted a traditional ruler in Kogi State, Oba James Ogunyanda, the Obalohun of Okoloke, from his residence in the early hours of Thursday. The incident occurred around 2:00 a.m. in Okoloke, a quiet community in Yagba West Local Government Area, when a group of heavily armed men invaded the monarch’s palace. A source, who identified himself as Lucky Omoyele, told News Point Nigeria the attackers overpowered palace guards before whisking the traditional ruler away to an unknown destination. He revealed that the kidnappers have yet to make contact or issue any ransom demands. Omoyele added that concerned…

AT least 10 people have been killed and several cows rustled in renewed violence in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. The recent escalation of violence in Riyom stems from farm destruction, cattle rustling, and attacks on livestock carried out by individuals from both Fulani and Berom communities. According to a statement from Operation Safe Haven, the recent insecurity in the council area began on Monday, May 12, 2025, when suspected youths slaughtered and rustled cattle that had encroached on their farms in Dayan village, Riyom Local Government Area. In retaliation, suspected Fulani herders attacked Danchindo village on the…

FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday warned against the creation of a one-party state, saying any nation that must practice it must do so carefully and with a well-planned process and projected outcome. He stated this in Abuja while paying tribute to the late elder statesman, Edwin Clark, at a memorial lecture and day of tribute. Jonathan warned that any attempt to bring about a one-party state through political machinations to soothe only personal aspirations will be detrimental to the country. The former president also called on the family of the late former federal commissioner to, among other things, set…

NASARAWA State governor, Abdullahi Sule, has revealed that 20 aspirants have already indicated interest in succeeding him in 2027 governorship election in the state. Sule disclosed this during a grand reception held in Lafia in honour of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Labaran Magaji. The governor, however, declared that he would not anoint or impose a successor, saying he will allow the will of God prevails. While acknowledging the intense political atmosphere, Sule said: “I want to use this opportunity to inform you that so far, about 20 people are already in the race for the governorship of…

THE Nasarawa Police Command has launched an investigation into the death of five children found inside an abandoned, unserviceable vehicle in the Agyaragu community, Obi local government area. Nasarawa Police spokesman Ramham Nansel in a statement explained: “On May 4, 2025, at about 1730hrs, one Mr. Ozimna Ogbor, a resident of Agyaragu, reported at the Agyaragu Divisional Headquarters that five children—Kamsi Onah (male, 8 years), Somer Onah (male, 6 years), Unice Udouchi (female, 10 years), Nmasoma Nnaji (female, 10 years), and Chioma Nnaji (female, 8 years)—were discovered unresponsive inside a disused vehicle parked in the compound of one Mr. Abu…

AT least 19 passengers were reportedly kidnapped by gunmen at Jor Community along Adoka-Naka-Makurdi Road in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State, on Thursday morning. The passengers were said to be travelling in two vehicles when the gunmen intercepted them and forced them away into the bush. However, four of the victims – a toddler, driver, an elderly man and woman – were let off the hook by their captors. Witnesses told our correspondent that the released victims, an aged man and woman believed to be natives of Kogi State, narrated that the kidnappers armed with sophisticated weapons…

BENUE State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has claimed that the perpetrators of the recent wave of killings across the state are not Nigerians, stating that they speak unfamiliar languages and exhibit foreign characteristics. Governor Alia disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking as a guest on Politics Today monitored by News Point Nigeria, a current affairs programme on Channels Television in the wake of assaults on the North-Central state that have left scores killed and many displaced. When asked about the identity of the attackers terrorising communities in the state, the governor said it was important to first clarify the nature of…

THE death toll in the gunmen attack on Ukum and Logo local government areas of Benue state has risen to 20 as security forces and residents comb the affected communities in search of survivors. Governor Hyacinth Alia, in a telephone conversation with this newspaper’s correspondent, gave details of the casualty figures. According to him, five corpses were recovered earlier in Gbagir and taken to the morgue, but later, civilians searching for their loved ones, discovered two more corpses. He said a family in Gbagir that insisted on burying their relative immediately had been provided cover letters by security forces to…

SIX Nigerian tourists detained in Cape Verde have been released and are now in the care of the Nigerian Embassy in Senegal. “Final update: They are free! They’ve passed through the Dakar border and are now in the care of the Nigerian embassy in Senegal,” an X user, @tobiojenike, who raised the issue earlier, announced in a post on Wednesday. The tourists — David James Udoh, Lily Dada, Oghenero Adaware, Sherifat Abimbola Ogundairo, Jesutomi Aina — and a representative from the travel agency Ìrìn Travels, had travelled from Senegal to Cape Verde for a vacation when they were detained by…

UNKNOWN gunmen have again stepped up violent attacks as no fewer than three communities in the Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State were attacked on Wednesday. The communities affected during the fresh attacks include Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju all in Otukpo where five persons were killed in February. The communities came under simultaneous attacks just a day after the killing of 11 persons at Otobi Community also in Otukpo LGA. Local sources confirm that several people may have been feared dead again in the fresh attack. Wednesday’s attack came hours after Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed the arrest of…

PLATEAU State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has announced a ban on night grazing and restricted the use of motorcycles across the state following incessant attacks. In a state broadcast on Wednesday, Mutfwang described the attacks as “coordinated acts of terror” aimed at displacing residents and undermining their right to exist peacefully on their ancestral lands. The governor also prohibited the transportation of cattle by vehicles after 7pm. He said the directives take immediate effect, with the restriction on motorcycle use in place from 7pm to 6am across the state until further notice. “The tragic echoes of Dogo Na Hawa, Riyom, Barkin-Ladi,…

UNKNOWN gunmen on Tuesday evening attacked the Otobi community in the Akpa district of the Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue Stat The attack started about 5:30pm on Tuesday, according to the lawmaker who represents Otukpo-Akpa Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Kennedy Angbo. The lawmaker, who hails from Akpa district, in a telephone conversation with News Point Nigeria, said an unconfirmed number of persons have been killed and hundreds have fled the community. A resident of the Otobi community, Edwin Emma, also told our correspondent in Benue, that many persons were feared killed as he called for…

IN response to the tragic attacks on Zikke and Kimakpa communities in the Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, Governor Caleb Mutfwang convened an expanded state security council meeting Monday night to address the escalating insecurity in the area. The meeting was held at the Council Chamber of the Government House in Jos where deliberations on the security situation, especially the disturbing resurgence of attacks in Bassa and Bokkos LGAs with decisive measures aimed at restoring peace and preventing further bloodshed across the state. The governor said over 100 militiamen invaded the affected communities to maul innocent residents…

THE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has clarified that the ₦300m it received from the Rivers State Government was a gift and was not tied to any purported hosting right for its Annual General Conference. A statement by the Chairman of the 2025 NBA Conference Planning Committee, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Emeka Obegolu, clarified that the decision to host the conference in Port Harcourt was taken in August 2024 and was not subject to any bidding process or payment of any hosting rights. Obegolu was reacting to a statement credited to the Administrator of Rivers State to the effect that the…

THE spate of attacks in Plateau has continued despite reassurances from government authorities. This time, forty persons were killed in a fresh assault on the Zike community, Kimakpa, Kwall district of Bassa Local Government Area of the state. According to a Kwall community leader, Wakili Tongwe, the attackers invaded the village in the early hours of Monday and shot sporadically at residents who were scampering for safety after hearing gunshots. The community leader told News Point Nigeria on the phone that a team of vigilantes, including himself and some security personnel, were on patrol in another community when the attackers…

BANDITS suspected to be kidnappers who abducted the pastor of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Samson Ndah Ali, in Mararaba Aboro in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have released him. News Point Nigeria reports that, however, they held back the man who delivered the ransom for the pastor’s release, Yusuf Shehu Ambi. The ransom carrier was reportedly carrying a large sum of money to pay for the release of kidnapped pastor. The kidnappers detained him, allegedly demanding more money or other concessions in exchange for his release. Pastor Ali was kidnapped from his home in the early hours…

THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate deployment of police tactical units and additional security resources to restore order and prevent further attacks and killings in Plateau State. The directive came after a series of violent incidents that have left several communities in turmoil. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), in a statement on Wednesday, disclosed that the IGP has appointed Kwazhi Dali Yakubu, Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Department of Operations to lead and coordinate the police’s intervention efforts in Plateau State. The Police…