THE Kogi State Government has announced the rescue of six more kidnapped students of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, Kogi. The state’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement on Tuesday, said the fresh number of rescued students brought the number of freed students rescued to 20. “Our data shows that there are four students yet to be found,” he added. He some of the kidnappers escaped with severe injuries during a gun duel with security agents. “Nine students had been rescued first while five others were found the following morning. The families of the…
Author: Farouk Abbas
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THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday prayed the Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja to dismiss a petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and its candidate, Murtala Ajaka, against the victory of Gov. Usman Ododo. Gov. Ododo and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), have also told the three-member panel of Justices, headed by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, to dismiss the petition in its entirety for being incompetent and lacking in merit. The trio, through their lawyers – Chief Kanu Agabi, Joseph Daudu and Emmanuel Ukala – stated this position while adopting their final…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will start the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Edo and Ondo states where governorship elections would be holding later this year. The electoral body said that the CVR exercise in the two states is to enable eligible citizens who are not registered voters to do so. The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this during a meeting with the leaders of political parties held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday. The CVR in Edo and Ondo States will take place simultaneously from Monday 27th May 2024 to Wednesday 5th…
THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) will picket the office of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and distribution companies (DisCos)’s premises nationwide on Monday over the hike in electricity tariff. “We write to inform you of the picketing action scheduled to take place in the offices of the NERC and Electricity Distribution companies (DISCOS) in all states, including the FCT,” the unions said in a joint statement by NLC’s Ag General Secretary Chris Uyot and his TUC counterpart Anka Hassan “The action will jointly take place on Monday, 13th of May, 2024 nationwide simultaneously.…
SOME of the abducted students of Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Okene in Kogi State, have been rescued, the state government has confirmed. In a statement on Sunday, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, said the students were rescued safely by local hunters and other security agents. He did not disclose the exact number of students rescued but the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Williams Aya, told our correspondent via text message that 14 students were rescued. The Commissioner said that the local vigilante men and security agents engaged the kidnappers…
KOGI State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has vowed to secure the safe return of students of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) Osara, who were abducted from the university campus on Thursday. Governor Ododo made this known when he visited the university campus on an assessment of the security situation in the wake of the security breach on the campus that led to the abduction of the students. Governor Ododo assured that every necessary step including non-kinetic measures have been activated to ensure the safe return of the abducted students. While assuring members of the university community of…
SOME unknown gunmen have reportedly shot dead a middle-aged man, identified as Khalid Bichi, in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday night. Bichi, said to be an employee of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, was reportedly killed by his attackers just before 9 pm while he was out to get food, the Guardian reports. He was reportedly shot multiple times. He was afterwards rushed to Maitama General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. According to sources, Bichi was known for being active on social media with the username @Khalid Bichi and had connections with influential politicians. The deceased will be laid to…
THE Nigeria Police Force has insisted that the arrest of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) reporter, Mr Daniel Ojukwu, is in strict compliance with legal protocols and procedures. Ojukwu, who spent 10 days in police custody, was arrested for allegedly violating the country’s Cybercrime Act, often criticized as a tool for censorship. The journalist’s arrest and subsequent transfer to the Nigerian capital of Abuja followed his report about alleged financial mismanagement of over N147 million ($104,600) involving a senior government official, according to his employer. His arrest was followed by calls from his colleagues, civil society organisations and others,…
– Adjourns To June 13, 2024 For Arraignment A FEDERAL High Court, Abuja, on Friday granted the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the former Governor of Kogi, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to appear in court for his trial. Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling, held that even if the arrest warrant was illegally obtained, the defendant (Bello) should have still shown up in court. The judge had, on April 23, fixed today (May 10) for the ruling on the ex-governor’s application to set aside the arrest warrant against him. The judge had on, April 17, issued…
FOLLOWING report of gunmen attack on the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Okene, the Kogi State Government has assured the students, parents and the good people of the state that the it is on top of the situation. The govt gave the assurance in a press statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, made available to News Point Nigeria, Friday. According to the statement, immediately the report was received, the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo activated the security architecture to track the kidnappers and ensure the abducted students are rescued and…
SOME members of the All Progressives Congress under the umbrella of Southwest Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Supporters Movement have called on President Bola Tinubu not to delay in sacking some of his appointees who have allegedly been plotting his political downfall for their selfish interests. Addressing a press conference on Thursday in Lagos, the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential supporters condemned, in its entirety, the development which they described as “satanic agenda”, and called on President Tinubu and the APC leadership to immediately arrest the situation and ensure that the party is not hijacked by a disloyal few. They also vowed to expose those scheming…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, Thursday. According to the statement, Engr. Woke is a seasoned engineer and politician. He had served as Chairman of Emohua local government area of Rivers State and was Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, for many years. The President expects the new Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority to discharge his duties with…
THE House of Representatives has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to halt the proposed implementation of the cybercrimes levy of 0.5% imposed on electronic transactions by bank customers. Consequently, the House directed the CBN to withdraw the ambiguous circular in existence, and issue an unequivocal circular in line with the letters and spirit of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2024. The development was in response to a motion on the urgent need to halt and modify the implementation of the cybersecurity levy, moved by honourable Kingsley Chinda (PDP Rivers) and 359 others. According to the Green House, the CBN…
THE Federal Government has said mandatory registration of Point-of-Sales operators nationwide will reduce kidnapping and help security agencies arrest recipients of ransom payments from kidnap victims. It also vowed that security agencies would go after PoS operators who fail to comply with the directive to register with the Corporate Affairs Commission after July 7, 2024. The Registrar-General, CAC, Hussaini Magaji, disclosed this at the formal launch of the CAC registration of agents and merchants of fintechs on Wednesday in Abuja. The event also marked the unveiling of a 24-hour service centre to help prospective applicants get a prompt response to…
IN a significant setback to Nigeria’s burgeoning tech industry, reports suggest that Microsoft is considering the closure of its African Development Centre based in Lagos. This move, if confirmed, would have profound implications for the country’s technological landscape, potentially impacting job opportunities and innovation in the sector. According to industry insiders who spoke to The Guardian newspaper on Tuesday, Microsoft notified over 200 staff on Monday of the closure plans. According to reports from the newspaper, affected employees are slated to receive salary payments up until June and will continue to be covered by health insurance. However, an unnamed source…
– Insist Anti-Graft Agency’s Handling Of Allegations Connotes Politicization Of Mandate FRONTLINE Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organisations have again advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to toe the path of the rule of law and not continue to give credence to the impression that its anti-corruption mandate is being politicized by some interests whose intentions are neither patriotic nor altruistic. According to them, what is happening currently, in the ongoing controversy surrounding the Commission’s handling of its allegations against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, “connotes nothing but that.” They also noted that, with the way the…
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has distanced itself from a purported list of ex-governors under investigation for alleged corruption in circulation. On Saturday, several reports emerged in the media (not News Point Nigeria) that 58 former governors were under the radar of the anti-graft agency. They were accused of misappropriating N2.187 trillion over 25 years. According to reports, the 58 former governors – drawn from the six regions of the country – were being probed, while others have been investigated, and prosecuted. But in a statement on Sunday, the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, described the reports as false…
THE founder and President of MAAUN Group of Universities Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo has stressed the need for universities to collaborate with their counterparts across the globe to promote internationalization. Prof. Gwarzo made the remark when he visited Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu University (KHAIRUN) on Friday, He said there was a need for KHAIRUN to establish collaboration with a view to exposing the university to other universities across the globe. “KHAIRUN needs to liaise with some international to see what is obtainable there with a view to tapping there for the development of the university. “It’s very important to internationalize because…
THE Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) has again raised the alarm over the safety of journalists in the country. This follows the report of the abduction of Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ). According to reports, Ojukwu was abducted by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police and is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti in Lagos. IPI NIGERIA in a statement by its President, Musikilu Mojeed strongly condemns the abduction and calls on the Inspector General of Police to, with…
THE Court of Appeal has granted an exparte motion for stay of proceedings filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against the contempt proceeding commenced by the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, against the Chairman of the Commission, Ola Olukoyede. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Hon. Justice Joseph O.K. Oyewole, consequently granted the EFCC’s application to serve the processes in the Appeal by substituted means on the former Governor. The Court consequently adjourned the hearing of the motion on notice to May 20, 2024. The EFCC boss who was summoned to appear before the Kogi…