Author: Farouk Abbas

THE National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, says that the congress’ planned nationwide protest on 17 December remains sacrosanct. News Point Nigeria reports that he made the statement shortly after a courtesy visit on the Chairman of the nineteen Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, in Gombe the capital city of the state. Ajaero said the protest would demand decisive government action against insecurity, stressing that the situation now affects every Nigerian, regardless of status or occupation. He said banditry and violent crimes were alien to Nigeria’s culture and must be…

SIX days after a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft made a precautionary landing in Burkina Faso, the fate of the 11 Nigerian military personnel on board remains uncertain, as diplomatic efforts intensify behind the scenes to secure their release and defuse a growing regional tension. What began as a routine ferry mission has since escalated into a delicate diplomatic standoff between Nigeria and its Sahelian neighbour, with the Burkinabe military government detaining both the aircraft and its crew over alleged violations of national airspace. News Point Nigeria reports that according to Burkinabe authorities, the Nigerian military aircraft was forced to…

A POLITICAL storm is brewing around the continued detention of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) trade sharp words over the legality, motive and timing of his detention. News Point Nigeria reports that the ADC has accused the anti-graft agency of politicising its fight against corruption, warning that turning law enforcement into a political tool amounts to corruption itself. The party faulted the EFCC’s handling of Malami’s bail, describing the agency’s actions as a veiled attempt to curtail the former…

MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said he harbours no regrets over his open and consistent support for President Bola Tinubu since 2022, insisting that his political stance was guided by principle, conviction and a sense of fairness rather than convenience. Wike made the declaration on Saturday while speaking at a special event organised to mark his 58th birthday anniversary at his residence in Abuja. The gathering attracted prominent political figures cutting across party lines, reflecting the former Rivers State governor’s enduring influence in Nigeria’s political landscape. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by…

JUSTICE Mariam Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered the remand of the former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, at the Kuje Correctional Center. News Point Nigeria reports that Ngige, who was arraigned on an alleged corruption charge, will remain in Kuje Correctional Centre until Monday, when his bail application will be heard The minister was specifically charged with conferring unfair advantage on his associates in the award of several contracts when he held office as minister between 2015 and 2023. He was also accused of corruptly accepting gifts of several million naira through his organizations…

THE FEDERAL High Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to apologise to Dubai-based businessman, Alhaji Rabiu Auwalu Tijjani, for wrongly declaring him wanted, a decision the court described as unlawful, ruling that the Commission violated his fundamental rights. News Point Nigeria reports that delivering judgment, Justice H. Buhari held that the EFCC acted outside the law when it published Tijjani’s name and photograph on its official website without first obtaining a court order or exhausting all available procedural avenues. The judgment was contained in a certified true copy released by the court on…

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed an eight count charge against the former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige. A copy of the charge obtained by News Point Nigeria stated that the former minister will be arraigned on Friday at the FCT High Court in Gwarimpa, Abuja. In the charge dated Oct 31st and filed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Sylvanus Tahir and five other lawyers on behalf of the EFCC, the anti-graft agency alleged that Ngige used his position as a former minister to confer undue advantage by awarding different contracts to his associates and…

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has confirmed the death of Bayelsa State Deputy Governor Lawrence Oboraw-Harievwo Ewhrudjakpo on Thursday. Anxiety had mounted earlier in the day over the deputy governor’s health after reports emerged that he had collapsed. Confirming his passing in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria late on Thursday night, the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong, described the news as shocking. The Bayelsa State government is yet to issue an official statement regarding the deputy governor’s death. The party described Ewhrudjakpo as a trusted and faithful party member, noting that his death…

JUSTICE James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja has dismissed a no-case submission filed by Saleh Mamman, former Minister of Power under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari. News Point Nigeria reports that in a ruling on Thursday, Justice Omotosho held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been able to establish a case against Mamman. Justice Omotosho held that the evidence tendered was such that the defendant must proffer some explanations, or put in a defence to the allegation made against him, especially considering the seriousness of the offences. The judge, however, said that Mamman…

THE Federal Government has opened high-level diplomatic discussions with the authorities in Burkina Faso to secure the release of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft and 11 military personnel detained in the West African nation for the third consecutive day, this newspaper has learnt. News Point Nigeria reports that the aircraft and its crew were taken into custody by the Burkinabe military government on Monday after reportedly entering the country’s airspace without authorisation—an incident that has triggered diplomatic tension between both nations. Senior military sources confirmed that the matter has now moved beyond the Nigerian Air Force and is being…

IMMEDIATE past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), is currently being interrogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations bordering on terrorism financing, money laundering, and questionable management of recovered public funds. Malami, who arrived at the EFCC headquarters earlier in the week, remained in custody as of 10pm on Tuesday, after failing to meet the agency’s bail conditions. Sources within the commission say he may remain with investigators for days due to the “weight and volume” of allegations levied against him. According to EFCC investigators, the former AGF is being questioned…

IN what has been described as an audacious violation of diplomatic and security protocols,  a Saudi-based accommodation agent earlier blacklisted for shortchanging Nigerian pilgrims, Amjad As Salam, is threatening fire and brimstone after losing out in the 2026 Hajj contracts. The alleged rogue company, Amjad As Salam, had directly sent a letter to the email of Vice President Kashim Shettima in what is considered as a diplomatic and security breach.  The Saudi-based coy runs by an Egyptian national, has also written a letter to the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) all challenging why it was not patronized by Nigerian pilgrims…

THE Federal Government has outlawed the use of physical cash for the payment of revenue and directed Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to install Point of Sale terminals within 45 days. The directive formed part of four Treasury circulars obtained by News point Nigeria issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on Monday. In the documents, the Accountant-General, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, said all payments to the Federal Government must now be made electronically and routed through channels approved by the Treasury. “All payments to government must be made through electronic channels approved by the Office of the Accountant-General of…

THE crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened as the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, announced plans to conduct parallel state congresses and a national convention to elect officials across party structures. News Point Nigeria reporta that the development was confirmed on Sunday by the factional Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, during the opening session of the BoT meeting held at Wike’s official residence in Life Camp, Abuja. Ohuabunwa revealed that the Wike-aligned bloc had already begun reorganising PDP structures in states plagued by leadership…

THE Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has visited the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet pilots who ejected from their aircraft after experiencing an in-flight emergency near NAF Base Kainji. News Point Nigeria reports that Aneke met with the aircrew to check on their wellbeing and to commend their professionalism and quick decision-making, which ensured they landed safely despite the aircraft’s failure. The jet crashed a few kilometres from the Karabonde town in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State on Saturday. In a post on Facebook on Sunday, the Air Force said the Alpha Jet suffered…

THE Federal Government has quietly withdrawn one of its presidential aircraft, a Boeing 737-700 Business Jet (BBJ), from the international market after prospective buyers made offers far below the jet’s expected value, senior presidency and security officials have confirmed to this newspaper. News Point Nigeria reports that according to officials familiar with the matter, the marketing company handling the sale delisted the aircraft after it became clear that bids from interested buyers were “nowhere close” to what the government considered acceptable. Some offers reportedly came in as low as $10 million, a figure insiders say grossly undervalues the 20-year-old aircraft,…

FORMER National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has formally withdrawn his membership from the party. In a letter shared on his X page sighted by News Point Nigeria on Saturday, which was addressed to the PDP Chairman of Okekoko Ward (09), Kabba/Bunu Local Government, Kogi State, Ologbondiyan thanked the party leadership for the opportunities provided during his tenure and service. He said, “Let me start by thanking you as well as other levels of leadership in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the opportunities provided for me to serve the party as well as our…

THE Supreme Court on Friday struck out a suit filed by Osun State Government that sought to compel the Federal Government to release withheld allocations belonging to local government areas in the state. News Point Nigeria reports that a seven-member panel of the apex court, in a split decision of six to one, held that the legal action brought by the Attorney General of Osun State lacked competence. According to Vanguard on Friday, in the lead judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris, the court held that the LGCs of Osun state lacked the locus standi to activate the Supreme Court’s…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded a list of 68 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for approval, signalling a major reshuffle of Nigeria’s diplomatic corps. News Point Nigeria reports that the list, read during Thursday’s plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, comprises 34 career diplomats, 31 non-career appointees, and three candidates previously cleared by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs. The President is seeking swift confirmation to enable Nigeria to fill several key foreign missions. According to the letter, the appointments aim to strengthen Nigeria’s international representation and reposition its diplomatic engagements. The Senate has referred the list to the…

THE Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed a judgment of a Federal High Court Abuja, which barred the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, also called VIO, from further stopping, impounding, or confiscating vehicles on the road and imposing fines on motorists. News Point Nigeria reports that in a unanimous judgment, a three-member panel of the appellate court resolved the three issues identified for determination against the appellant, the Directorate of Road Traffic Services. Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, held that the appeal was without merit. Justice Oyewumi further awarded a cost of N1m against the appellant and…