Author: Abimbola Daniels

THE Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) says it has commenced investigation into an incident involving an Embraer ERJ145 with Nationality and Registration Marks 5N-BWY belonging to United Nigeria Airlines. According to a statement released by Tunji Oketunbi for the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, the NSIB said the aircraft which was en-route Lagos from Abuja, on landing on runway 18R of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, skidded off the runway. The Bureau said there were 51 passengers and 4 crew members onboard the aircraft but there was no injury or fatality. The NSIB is, however, soliciting information from…

THE Lagos State House of Assembly has, again, rejected three out of the 18 commissioner-nominees presented to the House on Monday by the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu. News Point Nigeria reports that, the Clerk of the House, Mr Olalekan Onafeko, had on Monday conveyed the request of the governor to the House through a letter he read on the floor of the House during plenary session. Consequent to this, Speaker Obasa constituted a 12-member committee led by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Fatai Mojeed to screen the nominees, the report of which was presented report to the…

THE Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, transmitted a second list of cabinet member-nominees to the Lagos State House of Assembly. This is coming a few weeks after the House confirmed 22 and rejected 17 out of the 39 nominees earlier sent to it for ratification and confirmation. The immediate past Commissioner for Health in the state, Prof Akin Abayomi and Gbenga Omotoso, who were among the 17 nominees rejected by the House, made the new list. Omotoso and Abayomi were key members of Sanwo-Olu’s cabinet in his first term. The ad hoc committee led by the Chief…

GOVERNOR Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos on Monday took the first ride as the Lagos Blue Line rail began operations. The governor took the ride from the Marina station to Mile 2 around 9:00 a.m. Before he boarded the train, Sanwo-Olu explained to his co-passengers the requirements to board the train. Sanwo-Olu was accompanied by his wife Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; deputy Obafemi Hamzat; Secretary to the State Government Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, former Deputy Governor Femi Pedro; an ex-Speaker of the House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro among other government officials. According to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), for…

THE Nigerian Navy has confirmed the arrest of four suspected oil thieves identified as employees of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited allegedly carrying out an operation in the Lekki area of Lagos State. Tantita is a security outfit owned by ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo and contracted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to protect pipelines from vandalisation. A statement made available to News Point Nigeria on Thursday noted that the Navy stationed at Forward Operation Base (FOB) foiled the attempted oil theft operation on the waterways near Itolu community which occurred in the early…

THE Nigerian Navy, NNS BEECROFT’s patrol team executed a commendable operation resulting in the apprehension of five stowaways, aboard a vessel -MSC MARTHA. The operation was carried out on August 26, 2023, at approximately 2350 hours, following a reliable tip-off, the Navy said in a statement made available to News Point Nigeria on Wednesday. Their arrest took place within the vicinity of the Lagos anchorage, while they were attempting to clandestinely exit the country via the vessel, according to the Navy. The five stowaways were identified as Effiong Okon (44), Ayewuni Daniel (27), Ajagboma Asiko (29), Adebanjo Ayewumi (23), and…

THE Tincan Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said it rejected N50m bribe offered by a smuggler involved in the importation of tramadol and other drugs for his container release. The Customs Area Comptroller of Tincan, Mr Adekunle Oloyede, said this on Monday while addressing journalists at the command. He said that the suspect, Mr Boniface Ike, accepted ownership of two 40-foot containers arrested carrying drugs with the duty paid value of N550m. He added that the money brought by the suspect would be tendered as an exhibit. “One of the suspects in custody, Mr. Boniface Ike accepted that…

THE Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday confirmed 22 out of the 39 commissioner-nominees sent recently by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for screening. The Assembly, however, rejected 17 commissioner-nominees. Some of the nominees rejected by the lawmakers include former Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi and former Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso. Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the day’s sitting, said the confirmation followed rigorous and detailed screening of the nominees by an ad-hoc committee led by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Fatai Mojeed. He commended the committee for its…

A SUSPECT described as a notorious drug dealer based in the Lekki area of Lagos State is on the run after “crushing” an operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with his luxury car, the agency has said. The NDLEA has since launched a manhunt for the suspect whose home was undergoing a search last weekend, a statement by the agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed on Wednesday. “Anti-narcotics officers of the Agency had on Friday 18th August stormed the residence of the wanted drug dealer located at 2/3 Adetola Ayeni close, Lekki, Lagos for a…

A TOTAL of 108 foreign players from over 35 countries and 43 Nigerian players are expected to compete for honours at the sixth edition of the Lagos International Badminton Classics taking place at the Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, from August 30 to September 2. So far, 37 countries have confirmed participation in the tournament. The countries include Algeria, Azerbaijan, Australia, Austria, Benin Republic, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada and Czech Rep. According to a statement issued by the President, the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, BFN, Francis Orbih, other countries include England, Equatorial Guinea, Ecuador, Egypt,…

THE Nigerian Army says it has commenced investigation into an alleged killing of a Lagos-based driver simply known as Lawal. Lawal was allegedly killed by some persons in military uniform on August 17, 2023. This was contained in a statement on Sunday by Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 81 Division. The Army said though information into the allegation is still scanty, it is “appropriate to bring the occurrence to public notice and the steps taken to identify the alleged persons in military uniform, believed to be soldiers, and bring them to justice, if truly…

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Saturday seized multi-billion naira worth of illicit drugs at a warehouse tucked in the midst of popular International Trade Fair Complex, Alaba, Ojo area of Lagos. This was disclosed in a statement released by the media officer of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday. According to Babafemi, 1.4 million (1,400,000) pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 826kgs; 3.2 million (3,200,000) pills of codeine with gross weight of 3,360kgs; and 2,841 cartons of codeine syrup containing 284,100 bottles with 28,410 litres of the psychoactive substance, with a combined street value of Four Billion Eight…

TO commemorate the year 2023 Isese Day, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has declared Monday, August 21 a work-free day for all public servants in the state. The Isese Day has been set aside in Lagos to celebrate the indigenous Yoruba culture and traditions as well as the preservation of the Yoruba heritage, a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, said Saturday. This is according to a circular issued by the Lagos State Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, this year’s Isese Day celebration will hold on Sunday, August 20. Muri-Okunola stated further that the declaration of…

NIGERIAN  superstar singer Ayodeji Balogun popularly known as Wizkid has lost his mother. Wizkid’s mum, Mrs Jane Dolapo Balogun, died at around 1.30 am, Friday. Confirming the incident to this newspaper, Sunday Aare, Wizkid’s longtime manager said Mrs Balogun died in the early hours of Friday. “Yes, she died this morning, at about 1.30 am,” Aare said. The late Balogun is the mother to two other children, Yetunde Balogun and Lade Balogun.

THE National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has directed the Aviation Security (AVSEC) and logistics sub-sector to commence an immediate strike from today, Wednesday August 16th, 2023 over their N30,000 monthly pay. The union made this known in a circular obtained by our reporter and addressed to the Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA); Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Commissioner of Police, Airports Command, the Airport Commandant, Director, Department of State Security (DSS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos Command. It added that the withdrawal of services was inevitable. The circular, which was signed by the General Secretary,…

THE Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted an interim order restraining FBN Holdings Plc from holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) fixed for Tuesday, August 15, 2023, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed before it by three aggrieved shareholders of First Bank. Justice Nicholas Oweibo gave the order after hearing an ex parte application moved by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire who led Senior Advocate of Nigeria Kunle Adegoke and Seun Onabowu, to represent the three shareholders/ petitioners before the court. The shareholders/petitioners are Olojede Adewole Solomon, Adebayo Oluwafemi Abayomi, and Ogundiran…

A FORMER president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has expressed worry over the pervasive corruption in Nigeria’s electoral system. He, however, called for an urgent need for Christians to engage in politics to drive positive change. The former president made the call while delivering a speech during the 57th Annual Convention and 67th Anniversary of The Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT) held at the Gospel City, Ogunmakin, Ogun State. Speaking on the theme ‘The Roles of the Church in Nation Building at a Time Like This,’ Chief Olusegun Obasanjo congratulated the church for successfully hosting the convention and urged Christians to stand…

THE suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele has asked a Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos to stop the Federal Government from further prosecuting him on the charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunitions or on any other charge for that matter. News Point Nigeria reports that Emefiele is also seeking an order of the court discharging him of all offenses prosecuted by the Government who is in “brazen disobedience” of the subsisting orders of the court granting him bail on July 25, 2023. Emefiele also asked for a further order prohibiting the FG from…

THE Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 10-year-old girl for being in possession of hard drugs. The girl who was intercepted in the Agege area of the state claimed she had been a drug courier for her aunt in the last two months. She narrated how she carried the drug daily from home to the shop to evade arrest by security operatives. More details shortly…

CANDIDATES from eight states owing the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, for various services rendered will not get their 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, results. WAEC revealed this to journalists on Monday at the Press Briefing Hall, WAEC National Office, Yaba. The body lamented that the inability to pay for services rendered was posing a great challenge in the activities of the examination body. Responding to a question on the states owing WAEC, the National Officer of WAEC, Mr. Patrick Areghan, noted that “About eight states are owing WAEC. We won’t mention them all as some are…