Author: Farouk Abbas

AMID the security challenges facing the nation, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has asked Nigerians to stop giving money to kidnappers and bandits. He stated this on Tuesday while receiving 60 kidnapped victims recently rescued from captivity in Zangon Kataf, Southern Kaduna, following sustained military operations. The victims were received at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital. “Please stop giving money to these people, it is the most difficult thing we are facing,” the NSA told Nigerians. “Many of these people (kidnap victims), their families have given money to these people (kidnappers) but it did not…

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the Accountant General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Jaja, before Justice O.A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, for an alleged fraud. In a statement on Monday night, EFCC’s Head of Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said Jaja was arraigned on Monday alongside a bureau de change operator, Aliyu Abubakar, and his company, Jasfad Resources Enterprise. Others involved in the case, who are currently at large, include a former Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, Ibrahim Kashim, the incumbent Secretary to the State Government, Aminu Hammayo, Saleh U.…

THE Presidency has debunked widespread reports claiming that President Bola Tinubu has sacked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu. The reports, which went viral early Monday, alleged that Yakubu had been removed from office and replaced with a certain Professor Bashiru Olamilekan in what was described as a “sweeping change” in the electoral body’s leadership. Reacting to the claims, the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Digital and New Media, O’tega Ogra, described the news as false and urged the public to disregard it. “Disregard any fake news making the rounds about the replacement…

POLICE authorities have called on the organisers of a nationwide protest billed for April 7, 2025, to shelve the plan. The Take-It-Back (TIB) movement had scheduled a nationwide protest for Monday, April 7, 2025, citing several national issues. However, in a statement on Sunday, the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Muyiwa Adejobi, described the protest as ill-timed, especially as it coincided with the National Police Day celebration. “In line with best global practices adopted by nations in celebrating the achievements of its Police institution, the Nigerian Government has taken the bull by the horn by declaring every April…

JUSTICE Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has barred parties in the suit filed by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and three others from granting press interviews on issues relating to her six months suspension. Nyako issued the order on Friday following a complaint by Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), a lawyer to Akpabio, that the plaintiff was moving from one television house to another, granting press interviews on issues relating to her case, currently pending before the court. In a ruling, Justice Nyako said there shall be no press interviews by…

Say ‘It’s Proof Kogi Central Has Abandoned Natasha’ Vow To Proceed With Recall, Finetune Process CONSTITUENTS of Kogi Central Senatorial District have thanked the Independent National Electoral Commission for validating 208,132 (43.86 per cent) signatures in the petition submitted for the recall of the suspended lawmaker representing the District in the National Assembly, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The constituents, who are registered voters of Kogi Central, noted that, though they had mobilised more than the 50 per cent plus one threshold of registered voters and submitted their petition with full documentation, the validation of 43.86 per cent by the Commission still…

THE Nigeria Customs has described a recent report on the tenure extension of Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR as false and misleading. In a press statement monitored on X on Wednesday, national public relations officer, Abdulahi Maiwada, stated that appointments and tenure extensions for the position of Comptroller-General of Customs are made solely at the discretion of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. According to him, such an extension will be within the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and other relevant regulations governing public service appointments. “As of this moment, no such directive has been…

THE Kogi State Government has asked security agencies to hold Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central District responsible should any violence erupt in the North Central state. In a statement on Tuesday, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, blamed the female senator for holding her homecoming rally despite the ban placed by the Governor Usman Ododo administration. “She should be held accountable for her blatant attempts to incite violence and cause unnecessary tension,” Fanwo said. The commissioner also said the female lawmaker allegedly has “plans to use her visit to stir trouble and violence in Kogi Central Senatorial District”.…

SENATOR Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Tuesday received a sallah homecoming from her supporters and residents of the Ihima community of Kogi despite the state government’s ban on rallies and processions. As early as 8am, her supporters from the five local government areas of Kogi Central Senatorial District that Akpoti-Uduaghan represents gathered at the Ihima community of the Okehi Local Government Area (LGA) to welcome the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker. Several local musicians took turns entertaining the people who attended the celebration while they awaited the arrival of the female lawmaker It did not, however, take long before the embattled senator…

THE National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) says that with Dangote Refinery and others coming on board, Nigerians should expect a crash in the price of premium motor spirit, better known as petrol. The product was sold for less than ₦200 per litre before the removal; it currently sells for around ₦930 per litre, depending on the area. However, the Director-General of NIPSS, Ayo Omotayo, while the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration has led to a hike in the cost of the essential item, better days are ahead for the country. “With the removal…

POLICE authorities in Kogi State have asked organisers of a homecoming rally for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to cancel it. In a statement on Tuesday, the spokesman of the Kogi Police Command, William Aya, hinged the warning on an “intelligence report”. “The call for cancellation becomes necessary, noting that intelligence reveals that some hoodlums plan to hijack the process and cause a disturbance of peace in the State. The Command cannot afford to jeopardize the existing peace the State is currently enjoying,” the statement read. Aya said, “In view of the security threat received on the planned rally, the Kogi State…

ANTI-GRAFT agencies and the Office of the Auditor- General for the Federation (OAGF) have been asked to beam their searchlights on the financial records of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). The House of Representatives urged the bodies to carry out comprehensive external audit of the commission, including the N90 billion federal subsidy for the 2024 hajj operations. Specifically, the Green Chamber, which could verify the authenticity of the list provided to it by the commission, directed the anti-corruption agencies to probe NAHCON’s claim that it sponsored 1000 officials from the subsidy. The recommendation followed the adoption of the…

THE Nigerian military on Sunday blamed “violent” protesters who opened fire at security forces for clashes at a protest in Abuja that left 12 dead. The protest, held Friday in Abuja by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), saw supporters of the banned Shiite movement gather for Quds Day, which is marked around the world with pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Eleven protesters and one soldier were killed, according to a government intelligence report seen by News Point Nigeria. Amnesty International’s Nigeria branch said soldiers fired live rounds at protesters as a form of crowd control — events the military disputed. “The protesters…

THE National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, warmly congratulates the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria and across the world on the joyous occasion of Eid-Al-Fitr, marking the successful completion of the holy month of Ramadan. Dr. Ganduje rejoices with all Muslims for the spiritual renewal and discipline attained during the sacred month of fasting, prayer, and devotion to Almighty Allah. He urges the faithful to uphold the virtues of piety, selflessness, and compassion that Ramadan represents, while also extending love and kindness to one another, especially the less privileged in society. As Nigeria continues on…

THE Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy has joined  Nigerians in celebrating the President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he marks his 73rd birthday on Saturday, March 29th, 2025. Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa described the President as a visionary leader who has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the development of the nation’s creative sector. She eulogized his administration’s outstanding support in promoting Nigeria’s vibrant creative sector, adding that the ministry has witnessed significant support in promoting Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage. “As the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, I am honored to acknowledge President Tinubu’s instrumental…

Recall Proocess’ll Deepen Democracy, Put Lawmakers On Their Toes THE Campaign for Democracy has said that the actions taken by the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, since the “avoidable” crisis began a few weeks ago, have put Nigeria’s image on trial before the global community. The foremost Civil Society Organisation expressed concern that, rather than addressing the core issues surrounding her suspension within the framework of Nigeria’s democratic institutions, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan chose to “engage in a campaign of calumny against the Senate as an institution.” In a statement on Thursday, signed…

THERE mild tension as Police are currently investigating a case of alleged infiltration of the National Assembly by Russia’s KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti), the former Soviet security agency. The Police headquarters had invited Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, for questioning following a petition by his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to that effect, it was learnt. According to the petition dated March 5, Senator  Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on six months suspension from the Senate had asked the police to investigate the claim by her counterpart from Kogi West that the KGB had infiltrated the National Assembly, thus posing a…

– Say, ‘She’s Now A Paper Weight In Kogi Central’ THOUSANDS of Kogi Central constituents have unanimously thrown their weights behind the ongoing recall process for the suspended Senator representing the District in the National Assembly, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, saying no amount of falsehood and propaganda can derail the process. The constituents noted that it had become clear that her being in the Senate was an error, adding that they were determined to correct that error. The over 10,000 constituents, from the five local government areas in Kogi Central, under the platform of Kogi Central Grassroots Movement, spoke through a…

THE Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening cultural ties with Uganda. The Minister, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa made this known on Tuesday in Abuja, when a 27-man delegation comprising senior military officers from Uganda paid her a courtesy visit. The Minister said that the collaboration is part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to promote pan-Africanism and foster greater regional integration. Minister Musawa who was represented by the Head of Department, Cultural Industries and Heritage, Rev. Canon Anamah N.U.B, Ph.D stated that Nigeria and Uganda have a long-standing relationship which dates back to…

THE Organised Labour has strongly condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, warning that it may be forced to take decisive action that could disrupt national economic activities if the proclamation is not reversed within a reasonable timeframe. The threat was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Rivers State Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alex Agwanwor; State Chairperson of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ikechukwu Onyefuru; and Chairperson of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Chuku Emecheta. The labour unions raised concerns about the legality, economic impact, and consequences of the federal government’s…