Author: Farouk Abbas

EIGHT days after 20 medical students from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos were kidnapped in the Otukpo area of Benue State, their whereabouts remain unknown. The students were abducted last Thursday evening while travelling along the Otukpo-Enugu highway en route to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) Annual Convention in Enugu State. Benue State governor, Hyacinth Alia has instructed state security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the students’ release. Despite the deployment of operatives from Abuja by the Inspector General of Police, no confirmed update on the students’ location have been received…

EXAMINATION boards in Kenya and Uganda are now writing Nigeria to verify records presented by Nigerian candidates seeking admissions into tertiary institutions in their countries. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board made this known in a document for the 2024 policy meeting. JAMB noted in the document that it would not falsify the records of any students while stressing the need to protect Nigeria’s tertiary education from disrepute. The development comes on the back of the Federal Government’s decision to suspend the verification of degree certificates from Uganda, Kenya, Benin Republic, Togo and some other countries over allegations of certificate…

THE legal representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, have formally requested a rescheduling of the latter’s interview by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over certain allegations. In a letter addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mohammed Ahmed Sanusi, on Tuesday, the NLC legal team, led by Samuel Ogala, explained that the short notice of the invitation, which was delivered just a day prior, made it impossible for Ajaero to honour the invite on the scheduled date. In his response, Ajaero, through his lawyers, expressed his willingness to…

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has explained why the anti-narcotics agency is proposing a drug test for students of tertiary institutions. On Tuesday, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who spoke on Channels Television’s Morning Brief monitored by News Point Nigeria, said that  the agency is treating drugs as a public health issue and not a criminal offence. “We’re treating this as a public health issue, not a crime, let me quickly put that in perspective,” he said. According to the NDLEA spokesman, students who test positive for hard drugs should be given the necessary support…

THE leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the Federal Government of harassing its leaders and has put its members and affiliates on red alert, threatening a nationwide strike should the Nigerian Police Force detain its president, Joe Ajaero. The resolution was announced by the deputy president of the union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju after an emergency meeting of the group’s National Executive Council on Tuesday. A crowd of unionists were seen gathered at the headquarters of the NLC in Abuja as the meeting was being held, singing solidarity songs. The unionists said the strike would begin on Tuesday…

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) says it has not paid fuel subsidies to anyone in the last nine months. The Chief Financial Officer of the company, Alhaji Umar Ajiya, made the clarifications on Monday in Abuja. Ajiya said NNPC Ltd. was only handling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) importation shortfalls between the company and the federation. “In the last eight to nine months, NNPC Ltd. has not paid anybody a dime as a subsidy; no one has been paid Kobo by NNPC Ltd. in the name of subsidy. “No marketer has received any money from us by way…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Monday, said since assuming office he has made deliberate efforts to tackle corruption by funding the anti-graft agencies like EFCC and ICPC and not interfering in their activities. Tinubu described corruption as one of the most significant obstacles to the country’s progress, saying all hands must be on deck to confront it. Represented by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, the President spoke in Abuja at the 6th Annual General Assembly of the Network of Anti-corruption Institutions in West Africa. He said, “Corruption remains one of the most significant obstacles to the progress and prosperity of our…

THE Nigeria Police Force has summoned Joe Ajaero, the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, for questioning over allegations of terrorism financing, cybercrime, and other related offences. The invitation letter, signed by ACP Adamu Muazu on behalf of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Response Team, warned that a warrant of arrest would be issued if Ajaero fails to comply. The letter reads: “This office is investigating a case of Criminal Conspiracy, Terrorism Financing, Treasonable Felony, Subversion, and Cybercrime in which you have been implicated. “You are therefore required to report to the undersigned for an interview on Tuesday,…

THE Supreme Court, on Monday, reserved judgment in the appeal filed against the Tribunal and Appeal Court Judgements by the candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the Kogi Governorship election, Muritala Ajaka, to a date that will be communicated to the parties. The Apex Court also declined a request by Ajaka’s counsels for the constitution of a full panel to hear and determine his appeal. At the hearing on Monday, Pius Akubo, SAN told the court that he had applied to the Chief Justice of Nigeria to allow a full panel of the Supreme Court to hear the appeal…

A FIVE-MAN panel of the Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the Kogi and Bayelsa States governorship elections appeals filed by Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Both Ajaka and Sylva challenged the declarations made by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) on the outcome of the 2023 governorship elections in their respective states. However, in a ruling on Monday, the Supreme Court said it reserved judgments in the appealed cases. It would be recalled that Ajaka had appealed the judgment of a three-member tribunal that affirmed the election of…

THE Federal Government has threatened to sanction higher institutions that fail to submit lists of students admitted immediately after matriculation. This was revealed in a memo ‘CLARIFICATION ON DISCLOSURE OF ADMITTED CANDIDATES OUTSIDE CAPS( 2017-DATE)’ by the Jamb Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) obtained by News Point Nigeria. The initiative, according to JAMB’s Public Communications Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, is one of the recommendations made by a committee set up by the Federal Government to combat fake degree racketeering in the country. According to the memo, institutions are to “regularly submit their matriculation lists to the Federal Ministry of Education not later…

THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas to disclose the “exact amount of monthly running costs” allotted to members of the National Assembly. SERAP requested the spending details of any of such running costs as well. This information was made known in a statement dated August 17, 2024, signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director of SERAP, and made available to Channels Television on August 18. The group’s demand is coming on the heels of the recent controversy surrounding the salary of Senators. A former…

THE District Head of Gatawa in Sabono Birni Local Government Area, Isa Muhammad Bawa, has appealed to the state government for assistance as the deadline given by his abductors for the payment of ransom has elapsed. In a video that trended online, the monarch who has been in captivity for 22 days now, was seen in a blood stained white cloth, with his hands tied from back. This newspaper could not independently verify the video, but the member representing Sabon Birni at the State House of Assembly, Aminu Boza, confirmed that the person in the video is the District Head.…

THE Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has ordered the rescue of the 20 medical students who were abducted in Otukpo, Benue State. A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumiyiwa Adejobi on Saturday in Abuja, said the IGP condemned the kidnapping of students. The medical students were abducted in Otukpo, Benue State en route to the annual convention of the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students in Enugu. Egbetokun described their abduction as “truly appalling, callous, and unacceptable”. He said, “In a display of unwavering commitment to the rescue, safety, and well-being of the young Nigerians,…

MATRIX Energy Group, an indigenous and independent oil marketing and trading company, has denied reports that it imported substandard petroleum products. A statement signed by Head, Communications Matrix Energy Group, Ibrahim Akinola, said the group remained consistent in the adhering to the requirements of imported products that meet approved specifications, “and we have never been found wanting”. “Our company is recognised and approved by global international companies, national oil companies, major construction firms, and various end-users.“Our consistent ability to deliver on all contracts at competitive prices has solidified our strong position in the industry today”. “The Chief Executive Officer of…

THE arrest of Alhaji Bashir Hadejia, a former aide to the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, by security operatives has sparked outrage. Some Nigerians, who reacted to the development, demanded answers from the authorities after videos and photos indicated that the suspect was connected to top government functionaries and politicians. Hadejia, who was a special adviser to Matawalle when he was the Governor of Zamfara State, was arrested on Monday. A search warrant issued to the Nigeria Police Force, FCT Police Command, dated August 12, 2024, showed that the suspect was accused of “treason and subversion against the…

ZHONGSHAN Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited has announced the release of one of the three Presidential jets seized based on the order of a French court. This newspaper had reported how the firm seized a Dassault Falcon 7X, a Boeing 737-7N6/BBJ and an Airbus A330-243 belonging to the federal government of Nigeria, stationed at Paris-Le Bourget and Basel-Mulhouse airports. This is as a result of a contract was revoked by the Ogun state government in 2016. The judgment is the latest arbitration effort against Nigeria by a foreign company alleging that Africa’s most populous nation reneged on an agreement. In…

HEAVY and torrential rainfall in some parts of Kirikasamma Local Government Area of Jigawa State has killed six children and injured others. These latest casualties bring to 22 the number of people so far killed in flood disasters in the state in one week. This is as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said 227, 494 people across Nigeria have been affected by the flooding that has inundated 27 states of the country. In a telephone conversation with our correspondent in the state, the Information Officer of Malam Madori and Kirikasamma local government areas, Alhaji Musa Muhammad, said a…

THE Nigerian Army has airlifted troops serving in the North-East under Operation Hadin Kai for their annual leave. A post on the Nigerian Army showed the troops being airlifted from the Maiduguri Airport in Borno State. “Troops serving in North East Nigeria under Operation HADIN KAI proceeding on annual leave from the front lines, being airlifted on Nigerian Army’s chartered ValueJet aircraft from Maiduguri Airport to various destinations across the country under the Chief of Army Staff’s bi-monthly Welfare Flights Initiative,” the post on its X handle said. “Secure, fast, and reliable way for the gallant warriors to travel down…

CONTRARY to the claim by the Kano state government suggesting that the All Progressives Congress (APC) sponsored the violent protests in Kano State recently, rather it’s the Kano State government that funded the protest to tarnish the image of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration. A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Mr. Edwin Olofu, Thursday in Abuja, stated that credible intelligence reports revealed that the protest, which tragically turned bloody, was directly sponsored by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration. “It is alarming that a sitting governor would incite such chaos and violence within…