Author: Farouk Abbas

THE Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), has proposed a total of N64,888,000,000.00 (Sixty-Four Billion, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Million Naira) only, for the 2025 budget appropriation, comprising N4.9 billion for Personnel Costs, N33.468 billion for overhead costs, and N26.487 billion for capital costs. According to a statement signed by the Director Information, FERMA, Maryam M Sanusi, fnipr, made available to News Point Nigeria Tuesday, the budget prioritizes major trunk ‘A’ roads within the Six Geopolitical Zones, aligning with Mr. President’s development and economic recovery objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda. The amount is lesser than the N77 billion Naira proposed…

MEMBERS of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, on Monday, expressed anger over the failure of heads of some government agencies for an investigative hearing on the operations of the Nigeria Customs Service and the management of the nation’s borders. The committee, alongside the House Committee on Interior had invited the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo; Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi; Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; and other stakeholders to the investigative hearing on the modernisation of the Nigeria Customs Service. The House had mandated the committees to investigate the…

THE Police Service Commission has approved the dismissal and prosecution of two Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP) for misconduct, dishonesty, corruption, sabotage and acts unbecoming of public Officers. The Commission also approved the reduction in ranks of six other Officers on related offences. The Officers include two Superintendents of Police reduced to the rank of Deputy Superintendents, one Deputy Superintendent reduced to the rank of Assistant Superintendent and three Assistant Superintendents now Inspectors. This was contained in a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Police Service Commission, Ikechukwu Ani, and made available to News Point Nigeria on Monday. He…

THE Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has expressed worry over reports that its airstrikes on terrorist hideouts, including areas linked to notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, led to the death of civilians in Zamfara State. Reports had said the airstrike on the Tungar Kara community under the Gidan Goga district of Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State, on Saturday evening, mistakenly hit members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes and residents, leaving at least 16 people dead. A lawmaker representing Maradun II Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Maharazu Salisu Gado Faru, who confirmed the report…

THE Ministry of Works has proposed a staggering N12 billion for legal fees and judgment debt in 2025. The ministry, headed by 61-year-old former Governor David Umahi, will spend N5 billion on legal fees, N5 billion in settlement of judgment debt and another N2 billion to procure vehicles for the minister’s senior special assistant. It proposed an additional N670 million to buy computer software and consumables for the ministry’s headquarters and 37 field offices, while professional development of staff at the ministry would take N800 million Another N18 million is set aside for computer-aided equipment and software for the electrical…

KANO State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Haruna Isa Dederi has been berated for mischievously attempting to mislead the public on the Court of Appeal verdict which set aside the judgement of the Kano State High Court removing Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and four others as Emirs in Kano state. A Kano-based private lawyer, Barrister Shuaibu Balarabe Nasidi said in a statement that despite being a legal practitioner holding the Office of the Attorney General, Dederi has showed high disregard for the law and notoriety for brash support of the government even when it erred in the face…

NIGERIA’s military personnel are now expressly prohibited from engaging in homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, cross-dressing, and other acts deemed contrary to the ethics of the armed forces. The personnel are equally barred from body piercing, tattooing, disorderly behaviour, and drunkenness on or off duty. This directive is contained in Section 26 of the revised Harmonised Armed Forces Terms and Conditions of Service signed by President Bola Tinubu on December 16, 2024. A copy of the document obtained by our correspondent on Sunday partly read, “An officer must not engage in homosexuality, lesbianism, and bestiality. “He/she is not to belong to, or…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) implemented the Clean Note Policy as a comprehensive framework to regulate the production, issuance, and circulation of banknotes. This policy was designed to maintain the integrity, quality, and widespread acceptance of the Naira while promoting efficient currency management. The policy is centered on combating the mishandling and abuse of Naira banknotes, which undermine their physical durability and increase the cost of replacing damaged currency. Through public awareness campaigns, the CBN aims to foster a culture of responsible currency handling among citizens and curb harmful practices that shorten the lifespan of banknotes. The Naira and…

THE national power grid has suffered its first major collapse of 2025, barely ten days into the New Year, leaving many parts of the country in a nationwide blackout. This incident marks the 13th collapse in the last 13 months. In a post confirming the incident, The Energy Podcast stated: “National grid suffers major collapse… First in 2025.” An additional update reads: “Restoration has begun… Currently generating 302MW as of 03:40 pm.” More details shortly…

THE FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has described the tenure of a former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, as monumentally disastrous. Wike said this in response to Dalung’s claim that construction of roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was no development, a comment the minister dismissed as “exhibition of the dire need for help by a mind that is fast transiting from psychology to psychosis.” Wike, in a statement on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said Dalung was blinded by his hatred for him and the government of President…

THE Court of Appeal in Abuja has ordered a fresh hearing in the legal battle over the disputed Kano Emirate involving Ado Bayero. A three-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Mustapha held that the judgment delivered by the lower court on July 15 is a nullity, as the appellants’ rights to a fair hearing were breached. The appellate court held that Bayero was denied a fair hearing due to how a Kano High Court conducted proceedings against him. The court stated that the Kano High Court was unfair to Bayero by conducting proceedings without serving him a hearing notice to…

THE Inspector General Of Police, Kayode Egbetokun on Friday ordered actions against attackers of the Nganzai Divisional Police Headquarters, Borno State. A Thursday attack by Boko Haram terrorists left two police officers dead, and one other officer critically injured as the terrorists exchanged fire with police on duty at the station, before they were eventually overpowered and repelled with the assistance of the civilian joint taskforce who are stationed near the police station. Responding to the incident which occurred at about 12:10 AM, a Friday statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumiyiwa Adejobi, identified the dead two…

THE Federal Government has expressed dissatisfaction with contractors handling road projects for failing to deliver on their obligations, which has hindered development and brought untold hardship to Nigerians. Speaking to newsmen during an inspection tour of ongoing projects in Rivers State, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, vowed to sanction contractors who fail to deliver on their obligation. Umahi issued the warning when he visited the Ahoada Section of the East-West Road, where he vowed to sanction the contractors (Setraco and Rock Result) handling the project for unprofessional acts. He berated the contractors over the slow pace of work, accusing…

A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja on Thursday, ordered the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to appear before it in three days. The order is for the Interior Minister and AGF to show cause why the implementation of the proposed expatriates taxation regime should not be stopped. Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling on a motion ex-parte moved by counsel who appeared for the plaintiff, Patrick Peter, ordered that the minister and the AGF be served with the motion within three days of the order. The plaintiff, Incorporated Trustees…

THE National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje on Wednesday threw his weight behind the embattled National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka. Ganduje also described claims attributed to the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, as misleading, an act he said incited his online supporters to troll Morka. He disclosed this in a statement personally signed by him in Abuja. His clarification comes a few hours after the APC spokesman claimed that he and his family received 200 death threats over his inflammatory remarks from pro-Obi supporters. Morka alleged that the…

MINISTER of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani says telecom tariffs will soon increase but not by 100 per cent. Rising from a stakeholders’ meeting with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) on Wednesday in Abuja, Tijani said consultations and engagements were ongoing. This newspaper reports that the MNOs are proposing a 100 pee cent increase in tariffs. According to the minister, very soon the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) would approve and make the new tariffs public to Nigerians. “You have seen over the past weeks that there has been agitation from some of these companies to increase ttariffs They…

THE Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mallam Mele Kyari has disclosed that he went from being an Almajiri school pupil to becoming the head of the national oil company. Kyari stated this on his X handle, @MKKyari, on Wednesday as he celebrated his 60th birthday. He expressed profound gratitude to Nigeria for the opportunities that came his way from his humble beginnings to the height he has attained. He thanked Nigeria and particularly former President Muhammadu Buhari and incumbent President Bola Tinubu for the opportunity to serve as the last GMD of the NNPC and…

THE Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed that 34 terrorists and six soldiers died during the attack on a military base at Sabon Gari in Damboa local government area of Borno State. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, who confirmed this in a statement, said the identities of the soldiers killed in action were withheld to allow administrative procedures to inform their families. According to Major General Buba, the terrorists had attempted to surprise troops and retaliate the recent killing of their commander and combatants by the troops. However, the terrorists were taken unaware when the troops on…

THE Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared yesterday that Nigeria is not at risk yet of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection. In China, thousands of people, especially children, had been hospitalised due to the infection. The centre, apart from its advisory, also reintroduced COVID-19-like emergency protocols at the airports, borders and public health centres. It listed the measures taken as comprehensive situation analysis at Points of Entry (PoEs); development of an HMPV Entry Implementation Protocol as approved by the Health Minister Prof. Ali Pate and the identification of quarantine facilities for managing suspected or confirmed cases. NCDC Director-General (DG)…

DISENGAGED staff members of the Central Bank of Nigeria, who were laid off in a mass redundancy last year, have taken the apex bank to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja. The aggrieved former staff members, in an originating summons filed on July 4, 2024, under the NICN Civil Procedure Rules 2017, raised several issues for the court to determine. Among other matters, the ex-CBN staff members are asking the court to decide whether they were denied their constitutional right to a fair hearing before and after their appointments were terminated. They claim that the CBN violated internal…