THE Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has assured Nigeria of support in its economic reform programmes. The assurance came when the Crown Prince and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met on Monday in Riyadh on the sidelines of the joint Arab-Islamic Summit. The two leaders explored potential areas for cooperation, particularly oil and gas, agriculture, infrastructure and the constitution of the Saudi-Nigeria Business Council. Nigeria wants an agreement with the Saudi government over a proposed $5 billion bilateral trade facility between the two countries. The Saudi Agricultural and Livestock…
Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has honoured activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni eight, saying his government will address the historical grievances. The administration of a former Head of State late Sani Abacha executed Saro-Wiwa, and other activists 29 years ago, in 1995 to be precise after they were accused of murder. Others were Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine But in a Monday statement by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu promised to build a united nation. “The President reaffirmed that his administration will actively address historical grievances and work…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Monday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia called for an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza, warning that “the conflict in Palestine has persisted for far too long, inflicting immeasurable suffering.” Addressing the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit, convened to address the current situation in the Middle East, President Tinubu expressed deep concern on the humanitarian conditions in Gaza. The one-day summit was a follow-up to the Riyadh summit last year, and was attended by Heads of State and Government of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the League of Arab States. Reiterating Nigeria’s call for an immediate ceasefire…
THE Federal Government, through the Office of the Head of Civil Service Commission, has accused ministries of conducting promotion exercises for special civil servants without following due process. A memo signed by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, which was sighted by News Point Nigeria, warned such ministries. It advised that cases of promotion for special deserving civil servants should be forwarded to the Federal Civil Service Commission. The memo was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ministers, Heads of Departments, agencies such as the Economic…
THE 17 Brigade Commander of the Nigerian Army, Katsina State, Brigadier General Babatunde Omopariola, on Saturday, announced that doors are still open for bandits and violent extremists to surrender. He, however, advised anyone involved in the business of kidnapping to desist or else face the consequences. Brigadier General Omopariola was speaking when he handed over nine rescued victims of kidnapping to officials of the Katsina State Government in a brief ceremony held at the 17 Brigade Headquarters, Katsina. Omopariola, represented by the Brigade’s Chief of Staff, Colonel Yakubu Nwandiscas, explained that the Nigerian Army applied a nonkenetic approach in rescuing…
THE ruling All Progressives Congress has warned opposition parties in the country not to get too excited over the defeat of Kamala Harris, an incumbent vice president in the United States presidential election, saying President Bola Tinubu will sweep the poll again in 2027. Former President Donald Trump was announced as the winner of the US poll on Wednesday, defeating Harris in a stunning political comeback that sent shockwaves across the world. The 78-year-old business mogul became the 47th president and the oldest person ever to win the White House. Reacting, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu will leave Nigeria on Sunday to attend the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit in Saudi Arabia. The event will begin in Riyadh on Monday with a focus on the situation in the Middle East. Tinubu’s attendance is at the invitation of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit, which will focus on the current situation in the Middle East,” presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said in a statement on Saturday. “The Summit will commence on Monday, November 11, 2024. It…
THE National Human Rights Commission has stated that, based on its investigation and the evidence before it, the Nigerian military did not orchestrate or carry out the termination of approximately 10,000 pregnancies in the North-East, as alleged in a Reuters report. Recall that Reuters, in a report published on December 7, 2022, titled “The Abortion Assault” with the subheading “Nigerian Military Ran Secret Mass Abortion Programme in War Against Boko Haram,” alleged that since 2013, the Nigerian military had been conducting a secret, systematic, and illegal abortion programme in the North-East, terminating at least 10,000 pregnancies of women and girls,…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has rescheduled the Federal Executive Council meeting till another date to be announced. Initially scheduled for today, the council meeting was postponed in honour of Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, who passed away on Tuesday night. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday. General Lagbaja, whose death was earlier announced by the Presidency, served as the 27th Chief of Army Staff from June 19, 2023, till his death on November 5, 2024. President Tinubu also ordered flags to be…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has extended his heartfelt congratulations to President Donald Trump on his re-election as the 47th President of the United States of America. A statement by Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga on Wednesday, said President Tinubu looks forward to strengthening the relations between Nigeria and the United States amid the complex challenges and opportunities of the contemporary world. Donald Trump claimed victory on Wednesday and pledged to “heal” the country Wednesday as results put him on the verge of beating Kamala Harris in a stunning White House comeback. President Tinubu says, “Together, we…
CHIEF of Army Staf, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja is dead, News Point Nigeria can authoritatively report. Confirming his death in a statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Wednesday, said, Lagbaja passed away on Tuesday night in Lagos after a period of illness. According to the statement, throughout his service, Lt. General Lagbaja demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment, serving as a platoon commander in the 93 Battalion and the 72 Special Forces Battalion. See full statement below: STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE Announcement of the Passing of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed…
VICE President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday advised the now-released minors earlier detained for their role in last August’s protest to turn a new leaf and build responsible futures. Addressing the minors at the State House Auditorium, Abuja, Shettima argued that President Bola Tinubu’s decision, made on humanitarian grounds despite evidence of wrongdoing, was an opportunity for personal reform. He encouraged them not to let themselves be drawn into violence or actions that could harm public and private property, noting that the protests had resulted in a N300bn economic loss. Shettima said, “The President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has sworn in seven newly-appointed ministers at the Council Chambers, Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja. Those sworn in include Nentawe Yilwatda as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi as the Minister of Labour & Employment; Bianca Odinaka Odumegwu-Ojukwu as the Minister of State Foreign Affairs. Others are Jumoke Oduwole (Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (Trade and Investment), Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Minister of Livestock Development), Yusuf Abdullahi Ata (Minister of State, Housing, and Urban Development), and Suwaiba Said Ahmad as the Minister of State Education. Monday’s swearing-in came days after their appointments…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu will swear in seven newly-appointed ministers on Monday. This is according to a Sunday statement from the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will swear in the new seven ministers tomorrow Monday. The Ministers are Dr Nentawe Yilwatda – Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi – Minister of Labour & Employment; Bianca Odinaka Odumegwu-Ojukwu – Minister of State Foreign Affairs,” he said. “Others are Dr Jumoke Oduwole – Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (Trade and Investment), Idi Mukhtar Maiha – Minister of Livestock Development; Yusuf…
THE Presidency has denied the allegation that the current administration is favouring the South West at the expense of other regions in terms of appointments in the security sector. After the appointment of Major General Olufemi Oluyede as Acting Chief of Army Staff, many persons, especially on Social Media, accused President Bola Tinubu of “Yorubanisation”, a term which losely interprets as favouring the Yoruba. Oluyede was appointed to stand in for General Tahoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff, who has been away from the country treating an undisclosed ailment. Some Nigerian had argued that there were equally competent generals who…
AMID the controversy trailing the tax reform bills, President Bola Tinubu said the document should not be withdrawn from the National Assembly. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement, Friday. He rather explained that the bill should go through the legislative process. According to the statement, President Bola Tinubu “received the National Economic Council’s recommendation that the tax reform bills already sent to the National Assembly be withdrawn for further consultation.” Tinubu also commended the National Economic Council members, especially Vice President Kashim Shettima and the 36 State Governors, for…
THE Senate has reconstituted its adhoc committee to Investigate the alleged economic Sabotage in the nation’s petroleum industry. The Senate, presided over by the Deputy President, Senator Barau Jibrin, announced these decisions during plenary after the Leader of the Senate/Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, sponsored a motion on the need for the two chambers to jointly conduct the oil probe. In his motion, the senate leader observed that the House of Representatives had debated on the same subject and also constituted its ad-hoc committee to investigate it. He observed that there “is a need for the ad-hoc…
THE Presidency has said contrary to job loss fears and perceived marginalisation of the North, the tax reform bills currently before the national assembly will benefit all states and harmonise the country’s tax laws for greater efficiency. It said it became necessary to address the misunderstandings and misgivings around the tax reform already embarked upon by the administration following a meeting of the Northern Governors last Monday. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, argued this in an explainer titled, ‘Explainer: Proposed tax reform bills not against the north; they will benefit all states’ on…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS). This was disclosed in statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Wednesday. According to the statement, Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja. See full statement below: STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE President Tinubu appoints Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as acting Chief of Army Staff President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has appointed Major General Olufemi…
SENATE President, Godswill Akpabio cautioned Senator Osita Ngwu for praising the beauty of Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu during a ministerial screening on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Wednesday. Bianca, like six other ministerial nominees screened by the Senate, read her credentials before the red chamber and was subsequently quizzed by the lawmakers. She was screened for the post of Minister of State Foreign Affairs. When Akpabio opened the floor for questions, Ngwu, who currently serves as the Senator representing Enugu West District in the 10th National Assembly, started by applauding Bianca’s beauty to which he attracted a rebuke. “Mr…