Author: Amina Ibrahim

THE West African Examinations Council has announced the release of results for the 2025 Second Series of the Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination for private candidates, with performance declining by 11.47 percentage points compared to 2024. The release was contained in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Monday night by WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina. According to the council, 42.17 per cent of candidates obtained credit passes in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. This represents a drop from the 53.64 per cent recorded in 2024. In 2023, 44.29 per cent…

THE new Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, has identified six priority areas for his administration as he assumed office on Wednesday. These include strengthening of study centres, enhancing learner support systems, improving ICT and digital infrastructure, ensuring the integrity of e-examinations, promoting staff welfare, and sustaining quality assurance and accreditation standards. According to a statement by the Director, Media and Publicity, NOUN, Dr. Ibrahim Sheme, Uduma made the statement at a ceremony when his predecessor in office, Prof. Olufemi Ayinde Peters, handed over the baton of leadership to him as Vice-Chancellor for…

A GLOBAL analysis released this week by the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that up to four in every ten new cancer cases could be prevented through changes in behaviour, stronger policies, and public health action. The findings, published to coincide with World Cancer Day on February 4, 2026, draw on a Nature Medicine study that analysed data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types. According to the report, about 37% of the 18.7 million new cancer cases in 2022 were linked to modifiable risk factors such as tobacco use, infections, and lifestyle exposures. “The science is clear,” said Dr…

OPERATIVES of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested popular Kannywood actress, Samha Inuwa, over alleged mutilation and abuse of the Nigerian currency. News Point Nigeria reports that the actress was apprehended by officers of the anti-graft agency attached to the Kano Zonal Directorate following the circulation of a viral video in which she was seen using Naira notes to clean mucus from her nose, an act considered a violation of Nigeria’s currency laws. Confirming the development on Tuesday evening in Abuja, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale said the arrest followed public outrage generated by the video on social…

BRITISH prosecutors on Tuesday accused former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of enjoying a “life of luxury” funded by bribes she allegedly received while overseeing Nigeria’s oil sector between 2011 and 2015. News Point Nigeria reports that Alison-Madueke, 65, appeared at the Southwark Crown Court in London as her long-awaited trial formally opened, marking a significant chapter in one of the most high-profile corruption cases involving a former Nigerian government official. The former minister, who also made history as the first woman to serve as president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is facing multiple counts…

JUSTICE Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court has ordered workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to suspend their ongoing industrial action pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons. News Point Nigeria reports that the ruling followed an application filed by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, seeking a court order compelling striking FCTA workers to return to work. In the suit, the FCT Minister named the President and the Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC) as respondents. Justice Subilim held that industrial action, including strikes, must be suspended once a dispute has…

THE African Democratic Congress has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to reschedule the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory elections, citing the need to respect the Ramadan fasting period observed by Muslim faithful across the world. ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Saturday that the party had formally conveyed its position to the electoral body in a letter dated January 22, noting that the ADC remains committed to supporting electoral arrangements that respect diversity. INEC had scheduled the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections for Saturday, February 21, 2026, which…

THE Federal Government has confirmed the disbursement of ₦152 billion to contractors for what it described as fully verified contracts, even as protests by indigenous contractors over outstanding payments continue to disrupt activities around key government institutions. The confirmation was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Minister of State for Finance, Mrs Doris Uzoka-Anite, and sent to News Point Nigeria, the minister said the payments were made after a thorough verification process in compliance with existing financial laws and regulations. Uzoka-Anite acknowledged the financial difficulties faced by contractors due to delayed payments and assured that the government remained…

THE Federal Government has announced the commencement of applications for the 2026 Petroleum Technology Development Fund Overseas Scholarship Scheme, providing opportunities for Nigerian postgraduate students to study in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Malaysia. This was confirmed in a post shared via X( Formerly Twitter) by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, sighted by News Point Nigeria on Monday. “FG has announced the commencement of applications for 2026 Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Scholarships overseas,” the post said. According to the statement on scholarship board website, the scheme targets MSc and…

THE National Judicial Council (NJC), has recommended the elevation and appointment of the presiding justice of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole for appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, disclosed this in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Wednesday. Babalola-Ogedengbe said the Council, at its 110th Meeting held on January 13, 2026, and presided over by, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, recommended Justice Oyewole for appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, alongside 35 other candidates for various…

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the sales of registration forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session. JAMB stated this in a post on its X handle on Tuesday night sighted by News Point Nigeria. “UTME is open to suitably qualified candidates for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2026/2027 academic session,” the photo statement signed by its Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, read. “Registration commences January 2026 and closes March 2026 (exact dates to be announced by JAMB),” the post read, disclosing that the UTME…

AT least 21,807 foreign refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence in neighbouring countries remain unregistered in Nigeria, denying them access to food assistance, healthcare and other essential services, the United Nations has revealed. The figures, contained in the November 2025 UNHCR dashboard obtained by News Point Nigeria, show that the unregistered asylum seekers, predominantly come from Cameroon’s conflict-torn Anglophone region. The data revealed that Nigeria currently hosts a total of 127,000 refugees and asylum seekers from 41 countries, with 21,807 still awaiting registration by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, alongside 80,915 recognised refugees and over…

TWELVE people were killed and three others injured in a multiple-vehicle crash along the Yangoji–Abaji corridor in the Federal Capital Territory on Sunday, the Federal Road Safety Corps has confirmed. According to a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by the FRSC FCT Command’s Public Education Officer, Helen Ntaji, the incident occurred at approximately 11:45 a.m. at Gada Biyu, with the first emergency call received just two minutes later. The Zebra 6 Yangoji patrol team arrived on the scene within seven minutes. Preliminary investigations indicated that “four vehicles were involved, including a trailer, a bus, and two commercial cars. The…

US President Donald Trump has ordered the country’s withdrawal from 66 global organisations. In a press statement issued Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the decision was taken in furtherance of Executive Order 14199, following an administration-wide review of international organisations receiving U.S. participation or funding. According to Rubio, the Trump administration concluded that many of these institutions are redundant, mismanaged, unnecessary, or actively working against U.S. interests. Others, he said, have become platforms for ideological agendas that undermine national sovereignty and divert American resources with little tangible benefit. “It is no longer acceptable to be sending these…

THE Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has disowned a political write-up titled “Malagi 2027,” which speculated on permutations ahead of the 2027 Niger State governorship election, a development that has resulted in the suspension of the aide who authored the piece. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Wednesday by the Special Assistant (Media) to the minister, Rabiu Ibrahim, the ministry clarified that the article was written and published without the minister’s knowledge or approval. “The write-up and all its contexts are hereby vehemently disclaimed,” the statement said, urging members of the public to disregard…

THE Kaduna Business School says it will host Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Nigeria’s leading authority in public sector turnaround, public policy, and crisis leadership, for a book-signing and interactive dialogue titled “Unlocking Leadership: Beyond the Horizon.” In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by Haggai Danjuma, the event, scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the premises of the Business School in Kaduna, will focus on strategies for effective leadership in uncertainty and complex environments , drawn from his works and experience in the public sector. Danjuma revealed that the former chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA)…

THE Federal Government has formally withdrawn the criminal charge instituted against the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, bringing an abrupt end to a high-profile legal action that had attracted national attention. News Point Nigeria reports that the decision was conveyed through a Notice of Discontinuance filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, between the Federal Government and the lawmaker. Court documents sighted on Monday showed that the notice was dated December 12, 2025, and was filed pursuant to Sections 108(1), 108(2)(a) and 108(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, which…

THE United States will partially suspend the issuance of certain visas to Nigerian nationals starting January 1, 2026, following Presidential Proclamation 10998 on border and national security. News Point Nigeria reports that the US Mission in Nigeria announced on Monday that the restrictions will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, under the proclamation titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.” Nigeria is among 19 countries affected by the measure, alongside Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo,…

OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a suspected female drug kingpin and prominent member of a notorious trans-border trafficking organisation, following a 20-month manhunt sparked by the arrest of the group’s former leaders. NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement obtained by News Point Nigeria on Sunday. He said the cocaine trafficking cartel, previously headed by a couple, Bolanle Lookman Dauda and Olayinka Toheebat Dauda, was smashed in Lagos and Ogun states by the agency, with multi-billion-naira worth of the illicit drug recovered from them. Babafemi said following the arrest, Simbiat, who went…

THE Director-General of the International Centre for Islamic Culture and Education (ICICE), custodians of the Al-Noor Mosque, Wuse II, Abuja, Dr Kabir Kabo Usman, PhD, has passed away. Family sources confirmed to News Point Nigeria that Dr Usman died on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at a hospital in Manchester, England, after a brief illness. Burial arrangements, according to the family, will be announced at a later date. Dr Usman, a respected Islamic scholar, administrator and public servant, was widely known for his contributions to religious education, public sector reform and human capacity development in Nigeria and beyond. Before his role…