Author: Gloria Lamar Johnson

A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), retired Lt Gen. Jeremiah Useni, is dead. The late elder statesman, who was popularly called ‘Jerry Boy’ by his friends and former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under Sani Abacha, passed away on Thursday at the age of 82, following a protracted illness. His death was announced in a statement issued in Jos by Gyang Bere, the Director of Press and Public Affairs to Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang. He described the of the former Minister and Quarter Master General of the Nigerian Army as a tremendous loss not…

THE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the average retail price of a litre of petrol increased from N648.93 in November 2023 to N1,214.17 in November 2024. It made the declaration in its Petrol Price Watch for November 2024 released in Abuja on Thursday. It stated that the November 2024 price of N1,214.17 represented an 87.10 per cent increase over the price of N648.93 recorded in November 2023. “Comparing the average price value with the previous month of October, the average retail price increased by 2.48 per cent from N1,184.83.” On state profiles analysis, the report said Benue paid the…

A MEMBER of Federal House of Representatives, representing Yagba East, West and Mopamuro federal constituency in Kogi state, Elder Leke Abejide, has asked supporters across the state to leave his colleague in the Green Chamber, Hon. James Faleke out of unhealthy politics. The lawmaker was reacting to political comments made by some people regarding politics of his constituency ahead of 2027 election where the name of Hon. Faleke was mentioned as the source. In a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja, personally signed by him, Hon. Abejide said he wouldn’t himself to be distracted from governance and how to better…

THE Federal Government on Sunday said it would activate surveillance measures for inbound passengers from China following the current surge of a respiratory virus. Reports indicate that the virus has led to overcrowded hospitals, emergency measures and public concerns in China. The virus, attributed to the Human Metapneumovirus, has seen cases spiking across northern Chinese provinces this winter, particularly among children. Neighbouring countries such as Cambodia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong are closely monitoring the HMPV situation, having reported a few cases but no widespread outbreaks, according to reports. According to Chinese authorities, there has been a noticeable increase in HMPV…

SUSPENDED chairmen of Owan West and Ovia South West Local Government Areas, Dickson Ahonsi and Edosa Enowoghomenma, on Friday defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress in Edo State. Ahonsi defected with five councillors while Enowoghomenma moved with eight of his councillors. Ahonsi was received by members of the state executive of the party in Benin, the state capital. He said his decision to join the APC was influenced by the steps taken so far by Governor Monday Okpebholo to develop the state. The chairman and the five councilors were presented with brooms, the party’s…

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said the poor working conditions among public varsities’ lecturers fuel the reluctance of qualified young academics to take up jobs in the university system. The chairman of the University of Ibadan (UI) chapter of the union, Prof. Ayo Akinwole, said this in his New Year message. The union leader said the situation also affected primary and secondary schools where “the teachers are not well-paid, leading to the reluctance of qualified teachers to take up employment in public primary and secondary schools, paving the way for the untrained and unqualified teachers hold sway”.…

ONE person has reportedly been killed in a crash involving Governor Hyacinth Alia’s convoy at Ihugh town in Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State. Locals told our correspondent over the phone that two separate accidents occurred on Sunday near Ihugh market in Vandeikya, the hometown of Governor Alia. The locals said that the first incident happened as the governor traveled to his community for the Christmas holidays, with a vehicle in his convoy allegedly striking and killing a man. They added that on the return trip to Makurdi, another accident involving a vehicle on the governor’s convoy occurred in…

A FIRE incident at the Masaka market in the Karu local government of Nasarawa state has left many traders counting their losses. According to eyewitnesses, the fire, which started at about 10 PM Friday night, has left many of the traders devastated. At the time of filing this report, there was no presence of fire service officials to contain the fire as a portion of the market was still burning. The last time a fire incident affected the market was in 2019. Videos of the incident obtained by News Point Nigeria saw traders lamenting their losses while scavengers ransacked the…

FIFTEEN persons including a one-year-old boy were reportedly murdered in cold blood by assailants on Sunday night at Ri Do, also known as Gidan Ado a hamlet of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. The leadership of the Irigwe Development Association in a press statement issued in Jos, and signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Sam Jugo stated that the community predominantly inhabited by Irigwe Natives from Bassa was attacked in the night without any provocation by yet-to-be-identified gunmen, who invaded the hamlet and killed 15 persons. Several other persons were also seriously injured in the attack. Expressing concerns…

THE Federal Government has declared Wednesday 25th, Thursday 26th of December 2024, and Wednesday 1st January, 2025 as public holidays to celebrate Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year respectively. The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani, extended warm greetings to all Nigerians, urging them to use the festive period to reflect on the values of love, peace, and unity that the season signifies. Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasised the importance of the season as a time to foster harmony and strengthen…

A 35-YEAR-OLD man identified as Jimoh Abdulquadri, has died in police custody the Kwara State Police Command has revealed. Abdulquadri who died in the early hours of Friday was said to have been arrested by police operatives on December 19th 2024. It was also gathered that the deceased allegedly owed the sum of N220,000 to a Peter which led to his detention. The family of the deceased accused police operatives in the headquarters of the state police command of brutalising Abdulquadri while he was in their custody However, in reaction on Sunday, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun,…

FORMER minister of youth and sports development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Abdullahi, in a letter dated December 16, 2024, addressed to the Ubandawaki Ward chairman of the party in Ilorin, described the decision as a “difficult conclusion’ but the only ‘tenable option.” “I write to formally resign my membership of the PDP. I have had ample time to reflect, and I have come to the difficult conclusion that this is the only tenable option for me at this time’, he said. He thanked the leadership of the party for the opportunities…

DOZENS of persons, mostly women and children, are feared dead in a boat accident on River Benue near Ocholonya, in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State. The victims were reportedly returning to Doma in Nasarawa State after attending a market in Ocholonya village on Saturday when their wooden boat capsized. A resident of Ocholonya, identified simply as Adanyi, spoke to journalists in Makurdi about the incident. “Yesterday (Saturday) was Ocholonya market day. The boat was carrying women and children back to Odenyi in Nasarawa State when it capsized,” he said. The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin James,…

A WAVE of jubilation swept through Gboko, Benue State, on Wednesday as Dangote Cement Plc and six host communities signed an historic Community Development Agreement (CDA). The landmark accord, which commits Dangote Cement to multimillion-naira development initiatives, was celebrated as a transformative milestone, with the communities pledging to uphold a peaceful coexistence. His Royal Highness, Ter Gboko, Gabriel Shosum, hailed the pact as the dawn of a new era, affirming that the communities’ longstanding aspirations had been realized. The monarch extended gratitude to Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, for his commitment to addressing the needs of the…

NINE persons, including a councillor, were abducted by gunmen at the Odo-Ape community in the Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State. Our correspondent gathered that the abduction took place on Wednesday morning. This is coming barely a week after three persons, including an eight-year-old boy, were abducted from the same community. Among those kidnapped include the newly elected councillor representing the Odo-Ape Ward in the Kabba-Bunu Legislative Council. The councilor and the other eight were picked from their respective houses. A source from the community who did not want his name mentioned for security reasons confirmed that the gunmen…

THE management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has withdrawn all the Corps members serving at the Government Day Secondary School, Kulende Ilorin in the Ilorin East local government area of Kwara state. News Point Nigeria reports that about about 10 female Corps members serving in both junior and Senior arms of the school were reportedly withdrawn on Monday by the Kwara state directorate of NYSC following an alleged assault on a female Corps member serving in the school by some female teachers who accused her (Corps member of failure to greet them. It was further gathered that the…

EX-PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo has replied former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd.), who said that he (Gowon) pleaded with the late General Sani Abacha not to execute him. Obasanjo was one of those imprisoned by the regime of Abacha over an alleged coup plot to overthrow Abacha. Speaking during the first ever Plateau Interdenominational Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival at 10 Commandments Prayer Altar in Du, Jos South LGA of the state, at the weekend, Gowon said he pleaded with Abacha to spare Obasanjo. Aside from Gowon and Obasanjo, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, former governors, Jonah Jang,…

THE Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has ordered an investigation into the boat mishap in Kogi State. Scores of persons were feared dead in the accident that happened on Friday. In response, the IGP “directed the Force Marine Officer to lead a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the mishap,” Force spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said in a Saturday statement. “The aim is to identify contributing factors and develop actionable strategies to prevent similar occurrences on the nation’s waterways. This investigation will also provide insights into improving the overall safety and emergency response systems for water transport across the…

GOVERNORS elected under the Peoples Democratic Party are currently meeting in Jos, Plateau State to discuss pertinent issues of governance as they affect the party and national issues, as well as a review of the just concluded elections in Edo and Ondo states where the party lost in the two governorship elections. Chairman of the forum and governor of Bauchi state, Bala Mohammed in his remarks at the opening of the meeting, restated the party’s commitment to providing good governance to the people through the elected governors under the party. He emphasised the PDP’s unity and its position as an…

THE committee set up by the Edo government to recover government assets says over 200 vehicles belonging to the state are missing. The chairman of the committee Kelly Okungbowa shared the information with journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital on Friday. He said three of these vehicles have been recovered less than a day after the group was inaugurated. Okungbowa assured the Edo people that the committee was determined to recover the missing government vehicles. According to him, bags of rice and garri meant to be palliatives from the Federal Government for the people of the state were…