Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani

GOVERNOR Uba Sani of Kaduna State says Kaduna-based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, was not involved in the safe return of abducted Kuriga pupils, though the cleric had offered to negotiate with bandits for the release of the pupils. The governor, who stated this on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme monitored by News Point Nigeria , said all the 137 schoolchildren abducted on March 7, 2024 from the Chikun Local Government Area of the state by marauding bandits have been rescued by the military in collaboration with local authorities from neighbouring Zamfara State, where the hostages were moved by their…

GOVERNOR Uba Sani of Kaduna State has clarified that 137 schoolchildren were abducted on March 7, 2024, from Kuriga in the Chikun Local Government Area of the state. The governor said it was not 287 schoolchildren, as was previously reported. During an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme monitored by News Point Nigeria, the governor provided the update, revealing that the military, in cooperation with local authorities from Zamfara State, successfully rescued all the kidnapped children from the clutches of the bandits. He said, “Those numbers were just figments of people’s imaginations. They just went to the media and…

AHEAD of President Bola Tinubu’s 72nd birthday anniversary on Friday, March 29, 2024, the Presidency has urged well-wishers and friends of Nigeria’s first individual not to organise any form of celebratory event or place adverts in the media. In a statement on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, attributed the President’s decision to the “challenging times” in the country. “As the leader of our country, President Tinubu in deference to this challenging times will not host any birthday event and does not want any of his associates and numerous well-wishers across the country…

THE Federal Government has started renovating the former seat of power, Dodan Barracks, with plans to complete works by May 29, 2024, this newspaper gathered. Senior government officials involved in the project exclusively told our correspondent that the work became necessary as perennial floods threatened the facility and critical components were deteriorating fast. This comes months after President Bola Tinubu proposed N4bn to renovate the official residence in Lagos and another N3bn to refurbish the Vice President’s official quarters in the state. On October 30, 2023, the Federal Executive Council approved the amount as part of a N2.18tn supplementary budget…

THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the murder of six policemen in Ohoro Forest in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State but said five suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime.  Force spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi described the incident as a “devastating loss”. He said the officers were ambushed while on a rescue mission. “These brave officers tragically fell victim to a cowardly ambush by armed assailants while undertaking a mission to investigate the disappearance and rescue of three of their colleagues in the Ohoro Forest, Delta State, while six (6) others are currently missing in…

INDICATIONS have emerged that President Bola Tinubu may announce the new minimum wage on May 1 in commemoration of the International Labour Day and backdate its implementation to April. This newspaper gathered that the National Minimum Wage Committee was working to ensure that all negotiations regarding the new rate were finalised before then with the expectation that the President would announce the new minimum wage in his Workers’ Day address. A member of the committee, who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, said, “By next week, the minimum wage committee…

THE Defence Headquarters has declared that no fewer than 97 persons are wanted. The wanted persons include bandits and insurgents, among others, who are behind violent crimes in the country. They also include a factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba confirmed the names and pictures of the people who declared they wanted to be our correspondent on Friday. Our correspondent had last week exclusively reported that the military high command was planning to declare some terrorists wanted. Unlike in November 2022, when the military declared no…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has said the Federal government will henceforth patronise made in Nigeria goods as part of its strategy to further strengthen the Naira, urging Nigerians to also do same.  The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a press briefing with the State House Correspondents on Friday. “One, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wants to communicate very clearly to our people, that there has never been a more important time in our history to actively agree together,” he said. “That we will patronize and purchase made-in-Nigeria products across all value…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Friday congratulated the Chairman of the Board of the United Bank for Africa, Mr. Tony Elumelu, on his 61st birthday. The congratulatory message was contained in a statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale. The statement is titled, ‘President Tinubu celebrates top business leader, Tony Elumelu, on his birthday.’ “President Tinubu wishes Mr. Elumelu many more years in good health and strength as he persists in his endeavour of contributing substantially to national and continental development,” the statement read in part. Tinubu lauded the foremost businessman and philanthropist, who chairs Heirs…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Olugbile Holloway as the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments. Holloway succeeds Prof. Abba Tijani who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari on August 26, 2020. The appointment was contained in a statement on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale. According to the statement, Holloway is the managing director of evoke Communications Limited, a creative brand/consultancy agency with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and International Relations and a master’s degree in business administration. Ngelale said the President expects that…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has banned ministers, heads of agencies, and other government officials from embarking on public funded foreign trips. The ban will last for three months in the first instance and will take effect on April 1, 2024. This was contained in a letter dated March 12, 2024, and signed by the Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila; and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. In January, Tinubu issued an order to reduce the number of people accompanying him on both local and foreign trips, noting that his delegation members should…

THE Senate has passed the Student Loans Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024. The passage followed the consideration of a report of the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), presented by the Chairman representing Katsina South, Sen. Mohammed Muntari. This is as the bill, last week, passed a second reading. President Bola Tinubu had last week, written to the Senate and the House of Representatives, seeking the repeal of the Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Bill, and to enact a new one. The new act will enhance the implementation of the…

THE Federal Government says it has uncovered the identity of 15 entities, including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change operators and firms, allegedly involved in terrorism financing. Details of the development were revealed by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, in an email sent to our correspondent on Tuesday night, entitled “Designation of Individuals and Entities for March 18, 2024.” The document revealed that the Nigeria Sanctions Committee met on March 18, 2024, where specific individuals and entities were recommended for sanction following their involvement in terrorism financing. “The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, with the approval of the…

THE House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis on Tuesday gave the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mohammed Pate, and the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, a 72-hour ultimatum to appear before it over allegations of misuse of $300m meant to tackle malaria since 2021. This is just as the committee threatened to order the arrest of the permanent secretary, Kachallom Daju, if she fails to honour the summons, having failed to appear before it after three invitations. The duo are also expected to answer questions on allegations of denying indigenous manufacturers of insecticidal nets from participating in…

SENATE President, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday, said those involved in the killing of soldiers in Delta State may be foreigners. Some armed men had on Thursday, March 14, attacked and killed 15 personnel of the Nigerian Army during a peace mission to Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State. Speaking on Tuesday during a debate on two merged motions by Senators Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, APC, Katsina Central, and Edeh Dafinone, APC, Delta Central, Akpabio opined that those who killed the soldiers may be mercenaries. He said, “We are not at war. I don’t think they are from…

THE House of Representatives has asked the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, to immediately halt the signing and implementation of a trade partnership with the United Kingdom (UK), which allows UK lawyers to practice within Nigeria. A motion by 49 lawmakers on Tuesday, pointed to recent reports and public outcry, over an alleged economic and trade partnership between the UK and Nigeria, aimed at exploring new opportunities in key sectors such as the energy, legal, and financial services sectors. The House also noted that the trade deal became very heightened some days ago, as the legal aspect appeared…

THE Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has handed over documents of properties and 324 houses recovered for Kano State pensioners to the affected individuals. The development was a result of an investigation carried out by the EFCC into a N4.1bn Pension Trust Fund denied pensioners by successive Kano State government administrations. The EFCC probe followed a petition by a group known as “Concerned Kano State Workers and Pensioners,” over the alleged misappropriation of pension funds in the state. The spokesperson for the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, revealed the development in a statement on Monday. He…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of a new leadership for the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education. Brigadier-General Lawal Ja’afar Isa (Rtd) is now to serve as the Chairman of the Board of the Commission, while Dr. Idris Muhammad Sani is to serve as the Executive Secretary/CEO. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, Monday. See full statement below: PRESIDENT TINUBU APPOINTS NEW ALMAJIRI EDUCATION COMMISSION LEADERSHIP TEAM President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of a new leadership for the National Commission for Almajiri…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu says the All Progressives Congress (APC) is on the path to victory in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State.  President Tinubu expressed the optimism on Monday in Abuja during the presentation of the party’s flag to the Edo gubernatorial candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Honourable Dennis Idahosa.  Addressing a gathering of party stalwarts led by the National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, at the State House, the President pledged that the party would stand with the candidates ”like the wall of Gibraltar.”  ”If you are happy; we are happy. If you…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has condemned the killing of military personnel in Delta State, saying the perpetrators, whom he described as “cowardly” must not go unpunished. Military personnel including a commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and twelve soldiers plus a civilian were gruesomely murdered in the Okuama community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State last week during a rescue mission. But reacting to the incident, Tinubu in a message he released Sunday evening, said the killing is “unprovoked” and “dreadful”. “As the Commander-in-Chief, I join all well-meaning Nigerians and the men and women of our armed forces…