Author: Amina Ibrahim

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to release old N200 notes into circulation to co-exist with new N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes for 60 days – to April 10. The President, who made this known in a nationwide broadcast on Thursday, directed the CBN to allow the new notes available to all citizens. The President apologised to Nigerians over the difficulty experienced in the implementation of the naira redesign policy. “To further ease the supply pressure, particularly on our citizens, I have given approval to the CBN that the old N200 bank notes be released…

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari will address Nigerians on Thursday by 7am, presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina has said. The President’s nationwide broadcast is coming amid strong reactions and protests to the lingering cash crunch experienced by millions of Nigerians across the country in the last few weeks. Adesina, however, did not state the subject the President will be addressing during the broadcast. “President Muhammadu Buhari will make a national broadcast on Thursday, February 16, 2023, at 7 am. “Television, radio stations, and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and Radio…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has created a portal for the deposit of old naira notes. The bank published a notification titled ‘redemption of currency’ during a Wednesday check on the apex bank’s website. According to the CBN, Nigerians can redeem their old N1,000, N500, and N200 notes by completing an online form. The notification also provided a link to the portal to enable the masses deposit old notes in their possession. “Please click here to create your profile, generate reference and print out receipt for you to proceed to nearest CBN branch to deposit your old N1000, N500…

THE Supreme Court on Wednesday said its February 8 order barring the Federal Government and its agencies from enforcing the February 10 deadline for the use of old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes still stands. This clarification became necessary following a complaint by the Counsel to Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states, Mr Abdulhakeem Mustapha, that the Federal Government and its agencies have failed to comply with the order and have allegedly directed the rejection of the old notes. Mustapha said the plaintiff filed a notice of non-compliance with the order of the court made on February 8 and demanded that…

THE Supreme Court of Nigeria has adjourned the case on the naira swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) till Wednesday, February 22 for hearing of the consolidated suits by 10 states. News Point Nigeria reports that, the apex court, which heard the case on Wednesday, was filled to capacity with a retinue of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, other lawyers and the governors of Kaduna and Kogi states, Nasir El-Rufai and Yahaya Bello, respectively. At the last hearing, the Court had temporarily banned the implementation of the February 10 deadline of the CBN from making the old N200,…

GLOBAL watchdog, Amnesty International, has again warned the federal government to ensure that the presidential and National Assembly elections fixed for February 25 are free from violence and intimidation. It also urged the government to ensure that effective measures are put in place to protect all participants and prevent human rights violations. In a statement issued late Tuesday and signed by its Media Manager, Isa Sanusi and made available to News Point Nigeria, the global rights group called on political parties, politicians, security forces and interest groups to refrain from condoning, or engaging in, violence or incitement that could deprive…

THE Northern Elders Forum (NEF) says there is no reason to doubt the credibility and capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free, fair, and credible elections on February 25 and March 11. “At this stage, we believe in INEC, we believe in what they have done,” NEF Spokesman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed said Tuesday on The 2023 Verdict, a Channels Television’s special election programme monitored by News Point Nigeria. He also said those against the planned deployment of the Bimodal Voter Registration Systems (BVAS) for the elections should make their reservations known with sufficient proof if they have…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says there is no going back on the February 10, 2023 deadline for the swapping of the old N1,000, N500, and N200 notes. While there has been controversy over the deadline with some governors dragging the apex bank to the Supreme Court and the court restraining the bank from implementing the deadline, the CBN maintained that the date remains sacrosanct. The CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele said this on Tuesday during a meeting with members of the diplomatic corps in Abuja. He acknowledged the inconveniences caused by the naira redesign policy including hoarding and an…

THE African Union Commission announced Tuesday that it will be sending a 90-strong observer mission to Nigeria for this month’s elections. Africa’s most populous country goes to the polls on February 25, but has been plunged into crisis in the runup to the vote with dire shortages of cash and fuel. The African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) is being headed by former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, who helped broker a deal to end two years of war in northern Ethiopia and is mediating in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The AU said the objectives of the…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published 240 polling units across the country with no registered voters. The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had earlier on Monday disclosed at a meeting with political parties in Abuja that the polling units have no registered voters, adding that the total number of polling units in the country is now 176,606. According to Yakubu, voters assigned to new polling units will receive text messages to know their new polling units before the February 25 and March 11, 2023 general elections. News Point Nigeria reports that, the electoral chief also said voters can locate…

FORMER Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has been released by the Department of State Services (DSS). A source in the DSS told News Point Nigeria that, the secret service also asked Fani-Kayode to report back to its facility on Wednesday. Earlier on Monday, DSS invited the Director of Special Projects and New Media of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for questioning and grilled him for about seven hours. The APC chieftain had appeared at DSS office in Abuja to answer questions on the allegations he made about some army generals plotting with some presidential candidates to scuttle the 2023 general elections…

THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday met with the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Bureau of Africa Affairs, Molly Phee; and the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard. News Point Nigeria reports that, the meeting was held in Abuja, hours after Yakubu met with leaders of political parties ahead of the general elections. The US Assistant Secretary of State, in her remarks, noted that the forthcoming general elections “matter to the United States,” because according to her, the US is interested in consolidating democracy, and doing so peacefully. She…

LESS than 12 days to the general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has said that election will not hold in 240 polling units. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu stated this at a meeting with leaders of political parties on Monday. News Point Nigeria reports that, Yakubu stated that no voters indicated interest to transfer to those units them during the last Continuous Voter Registration due to insecurity, hence the total polling units for elections is now 176,606. He noted that the Commission would make a comprehensive list of these polling units. The INEC Chairman explained, “Let me therefore start…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is not supporting any candidate or any political party in the forthcoming general elections, maintaining that its only interest is in the electoral process. The Chairman of the Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said this when he addressed Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) for the 2023 general election in Abuja. According to a video the Commission posted on its Twitter handle, Yakubu demanded neutrality from electoral officers. “INEC is not a political party. INEC has no candidate in the election. Our commitment is to the process and we will make sure that the process…

OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested the founder and General Overseer of Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly, Lagos, High Priest Nnodu Azuka Kenrick; a student of Emmanuel College of Theology, Samanta, Ibadan, Udezuka Udoka and their freight agent, Oyoyo Mary Obasi. They were apprehended over an attempt to export methamphetamine and skunk consignments concealed in kegs of palm oil through the NAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos to Dubai, United Arab Emirate. High Priest Nnodu was arrested on Saturday 11th February 2023 at his Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly church located…

THE Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 5, comprising Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states, is dead. He died Sunday morning at the Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State after a brief illness. This was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Bauchi State Command, SP Ahmed Wakil, in a terse Whatsapp message sent to News Point Nigeria, on Sunday. He said: “Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Raj’un. With a heavy heart but total submission to the will of Almighty Allah, I wish to announce the death of  A.I.G  Lawan Tanko Jimeta “He died at the Teaching Hospital, Benin…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned Nigerians against making money bouquets, noting that is it an abuse of the country’s currency.  In a tweet on its official Twitter handle Saturday, the apex bank called on Nigerians to report such abuse of the naira. “It is your civic duty to protect the Naira,” the tweet added. It also listed spraying, selling, squeezing, and defacing as other forms of currency abuse. This is coming days after the CBN issued a similar warning, saying it would start the prosecution of naira abusers. In a statement, the CBN said it is working…

THE Supreme Court on Saturday came hard on some Nigerians who had been “venting convoluted anger”, following its recent pronouncements, which affirmed a former Governor of the Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, and Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, senatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the February 25 elections. The Apex Court warned purveyors of such attacks on the judiciary and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, especially the United States-based Professor, Farooq Kperogi and Progressive Minds Forum, to desist and channel such energies to political parties which “fail to organise themselves well.” The Director of Press And Information…

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, is in a closed-door meeting with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at his official residence at the State House, News Point Nigeria gathered. Tinubu, who abandoned the ‘Meet the mentor’ dinner held in his honour by the APC Progressives Sisters Network at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, announced that he had an important meeting with the president at 9.45 pm. In his closing address, he said, “I have a superior appointment. Late yesterday, the president called that I should be at his place by 9.45 pm this evening (Friday). What…

THE Council of State has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to print more redesigned naira notes or allow the new and old banknotes circulate concurrently to ease tension caused by scarcity of cash. The Council approved the naira redesign policy of the CBN but faulted its implementation. Briefing State House Correspondents after the Council meeting chaired by the President, the Attorney General of the Federal, Abubakar Malami, who was flanked by Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, said that the Council illuminated the need for aggressive…