THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says the government at all levels needs to make money to provide social services to Nigerians. Wike spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the maiden edition of the Abuja Business and Investment Summit organised by the Abuja Investment Company Limited. The former Rivers State governor said the theme of the event, ‘Optimising Investment Through Partnerships’, resonates with the Federal Government’s drive to deploy the power of collaboration to foster investment opportunities. The FCT minister said the notion that the government does not need money was incorrect. Citing examples of the…
Author: Farouk Abbas
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THE Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, has announced the establishment of the Directorate of State Liaison (DSL), following approval from President Bola Tinubu and appointed Lami Chinade as pioneer Director. This is contained in a statement from the ONSA on Tuesday in Abuja. The newly created directorate is part of the President Tinubu’s efforts to enhance proactive coordination on national security matters with States and Local Government Areas, LGAs. It outlined that the directorate would be responsible for overseeing the implementation and follow-up of joint decisions between State Governors and the ONSA. “Key functions will include maintaining a…
THE Federal Government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, has unveiled new regulations to simplify the process of obtaining petrol import licences and other operational regulations in the industry into a single document. It stated that previous regulations, administered by the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources concerning midstream and downstream operations, have been revoked. The proposed 2024 Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Operations Regulations will enable the Authority to reduce the complexities of navigating and implementing numerous regulations in the petroleum industry. The Managing Director of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, speaking at a stakeholder engagement on the proposed…
FORMER Rivers State Governor and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike continue to hold firm on the leadership of the main opposition Peoples Democratic (PDP) as Governors elected on the platform of the party have nullified the suspension of the acting National Chairman of the party, Iliya Damagum. Wike is alleged to be pulling all the stops to help National Chairman of the Party, Umar Damagum, retain his office. The governors have also nullified the suspension of the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN. This was disclosed to journalists by the Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of…
THE two convicts of the kidnap and murder of five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar, Abdulmalik Muhammad Tanko and Hashimu Isyaku have filed a notice of appeal, challenging their death sentences at the Court of Appeal, Kano Division. It would be recalled that on the 28th of July, 2022, a Kano State High Court presided over by Justice Usman Mallam Na’abba sentenced the duo to death by hanging after the trial. They were additionally convicted to five and four years each for conspiracy, as they both allegedly conspired and kidnapped the deceased from Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi Islamic Foundation, killed and buried her in…
THE Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Legislative Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, CON has reaffirmed the importance of close and constructive collaboration between Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies, and the National Assembly, particularly its Senate committees, as a cornerstone of good governance and accountability. Lado stated this in a press released personally signed by him and made available to News Point Nigeria, Monday. According to statement, “this cooperation is not only a constitutional imperative but also essential to achieving the bold vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in delivering rapid and transformative benefits to all Nigerians. “Under the leadership…
ANGER has trailed the recent comments of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on free food. Akpabio had advised Nigerians to help themselves wherever they see free food. Nigerians have been complaining about petrol price hike and its effect on commodities. Recently, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) increased petrol prices by over 15%, marking the second hike in less than a month, effectively exiting a subsidy program that the government said has strained its finances. The product is sold above N1,000 per litre in various places across the country. Speaking in a viral video of him presiding over a plenary…
THE Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria is poised for talks with Dangote Petroleum Refinery between Tuesday and Wednesday to finalise agreements on the cost and lifting of petrol from the plant. It was learnt on Sunday that the Petroleum Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria had been asked by the $20bn Lekki-based refinery to resend its request for petrol lifting. This came as PETROAN expressed optimism that the cost of petrol might reduce in the coming days once the competition in the downstream oil sector sets in fully, as marketers load the commodity from the refinery. Meanwhile, IPMAN described…
THE National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has expressed shock over the passing of Surayya Aminu, popularly known as Sai Mama, the Senior Special Assistant on Political Mobilization. In a condolence message, Dr. Ganduje described the demise of Sai Mama as a great loss not only to the party but to the good people of Kano state. He commended her for her hard work and unyielding commitment to women’s empowerment and her dedicated service in advancing the ideals of the APC. “Her passion, loyalty, and relentless efforts in mobilizing and empowering women within the…
ARMED bandits on Saturday blocked the ever-busy Gusau-Funtua highway and abducted an unspecified number of travellers. The bandits blocked the highway between Kucheri and Magazu communities in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state, shooting at moving vehicles. The spokesperson of the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the incident to News Point Nigeria via a telephone conversation. He said an unspecified number of travellers were abducted during the attack, adding that the police and other security agencies are currently on joint rescue operations in order to rescue the abducted victims. “The incident happened this afternoon. The bandits…
THE North-West Zone National Vice Chairman of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Hayyatu Gwarzo said the party will triumph in the general election come 2027. Hayyatu stated this on Saturday in Kano during the party’s delegate congress where about five thousand delegates casted their votes to vote party leaders for various positions. Gwarzo stated that the congress was conducted according to the laws enshrined in the party’s constitution and as approved by the National Executive Board. The former senator who spoke in high spirit expressed optimism that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will make a good outing across the…
THE Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed November 1, 2024 to rule on the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the final forfeiture of the $2.045million, seven choice landed properties and shares involving former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. On the same date, the court will also rule on the formal application filed by the former banker for a stay of proceedings. On August 15, 2024, the court had authorised the EFCC to temporarily take custody of the assets. In granting the application, the court had directed the EFCC to publish…
EFCC’s Silence On Ganduje Despite Monumental Corruption Allegations No Longer Golden A COALITION of 30 Anti-corruption Civil Society Organizations have called for the resignation of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, over his alleged failure to prosecute a former Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, despite multiple petitions against him on multi-billion naira fraud and bribery allegations. The CSOs, under the umbrella, “Global Initiative for Corruption Eradication”, also called for the immediate arrest of Ganduje, who they said had no immunity, but was allegedly enjoying the cover of the Federal Government through the EFCC. The…
MALAM Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has lost his daughter. Fatima, at the age of 25. Fatima passed away on Friday. However, Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed his heartfelt condolences to Kyari and his family, offering prayers for the peaceful repose of Fatima’s soul. Shettima also prayed for strength for the family to endure this profound loss, noting the tragedy of losing a daughter in the prime of her life. The Vice President joined other mourners at the funeral prayers, which were held at the Annur Mosque in Abuja.
JUSTICE Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Umar Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of the party. The court ordered that no other person must be recognised as PDP national chairman other than Damagum until the national convention of the party scheduled for December next year. Justice Lifu issued the restraining order against the PDP NEC, BoT, and others while delivering judgment in a suit instituted against them by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina. The judge held that…
THE crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party shows no signs of resolution, as a faction of the National Working Committee has suspended the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for alleged disloyalty to the party. Earlier, a faction of the NWC aligned with Damagum announced the suspension of the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, for alleged disloyalty to the party. In a new twist, Ologunagba, in a statement on Friday, also announced the suspension of Damagum and Anyanwu. The statement read in part, “The National Working Committee (NWC) of…
A BILL to create a special armed squad for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) as well as other provisions to make the agency operates better has been passed for second reading at the House of Representatives. The bill sponsored by Rep. Abiodun Derin Adesida and Rep. Olaide Lateef Muhammed seeks to amend the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Act, 2007 to provide for the establishment of FRSC Special Armed Squad. It also seeks to make FRSC officers on the rank of Deputy Corp Marshal enjoy benefits attached to the rank including retirement benefits as well as empower the corps…
THE Kano State Police Command has apprehended three suspects in connection with the murder of Dahiru Musa, a 32-year-old resident of Dorayi Quarters, Kano, over a land transaction. The suspects allegedly lured Musa under false pretenses, poisoned him, and later burned his body in a bid to destroy evidence. This was confirmed by the police command’s spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna, in a statement made available to newsmen in Kano. Haruna disclosed that the suspects—Aliyu Adamu, 22; Mubarak Abdulsalam, 20; and Sadiq Sunusi, 19—are currently in police custody. “On September 29, 2024, at about 7:30 p.m., a resident of Dorayi Quarters,…
A REPORT from the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI) has ranked 510 ministries, departments and agencies of government low in transparency and integrity. The report, which was released yesterday in Abuja tagged “Transparency and Integrity Index 2024” assessed 514 different MDAs out of which only four were ranked high. Presenting the report, the Executive Director of the centre, Mr. Umar Yakubu said the MDAs were assessed based on sub-variables including “anti-bribery policy, whistleblower policy, conflict of interest policy, control of corruption implementation report and citizens engagement,” He added that the report “Is geared towards assessing openness and…
ANOTHER former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Edward Adamu, on Wednesday told the Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja that Godwin Emefiele, a former Governor of the Bank did not follow laid down procedure in the process that led to the redesign of some notes of the Nigerian currency. Led in examination by Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo, Adamu, who is Principal Witness 4, also said that the redesign of the Naira notes launched by former President Muhammadu Buhari and currently in circulation was not the one approved by the…