Author: Sani Nura

THE Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs has announced that there were no confirmed reports of the sighting of the crescent moon marking the beginning of Sha’aban 1446AH. The announcement done in collaboration with the National Moon Sighting Committee, is significant for Muslims in the country being the month that precedes Ramadan. In a release signed by the Wazirin Sokoto, and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto, Prof. Sambo Wali Junaidu, the committee stated that no moon sighting reports were received from various committees nationwide. “As a result, Thursday, January 30, 2025, will be…

FORMER Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has expressed surprise at the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed’s verbal attacks on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. According to Dogara, Mohammed’s attack on Wike is surprising because Wike financed Mohammed’s campaign to become governor. In a long statement on Tuesday, Dogara said he and others supporting Mohammed to become governor were shocked that despite being a former minister he had no money to fund his governorship bid. Dogara said apart from Wike taking control of the PDP primary to ensure Mohammed’s emergence as the PDP flag-bearer,…

THE Sultanate Council of Sokoto has instructed the Muslim Ummah to observe the crescent of Sha’aban 1446 AH on Wednesday, corresponding to the 29th day of Rajab 1446 AH in the Islamic calendar. Prof. Sambo Junaidu, the Waziri of Sokoto and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, conveyed the directive in a statement issued on Tuesday. The statement said when the crescent moon is sighted, it should be reported to the nearest district or village heads for onward communication to the sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, for official confirmation. “May Allah (SWT) help us in the…

FORMER President Muhammadu Buhari has described Nigeria as a challenging country to govern. Buhari, who handed over to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, spoke at an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting at Government House, Katsina, While reflecting on his time in office, he said despite efforts to address the nation’s challenges, he was often subjected to criticism. According to him: “Those outside the corridors of power do not understand the complexities and difficulties facing Nigeria. ”My health has improved since leaving office. People who visited me told me I look better than before. On the political turf, Buhari urged political…

GOVERNOR Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, on Saturday, said he received with shock and sadness the news of the death of Alhaji Atiku Mu’azu Buyam, a retired Permanent Secretary and former Chairman of the Gombe State Board of Internal Revenue Service, Atiku Mu’azu. The late Permanent Secretary was reportedly abducted and killed in Kano State, where he had been residing after his retirement from public service. Yahaya, in a condolence message signed by the Director-General, Press Affairs, Gombe Government House, Ismiala Uba Misilli commended the swift response of security agencies, who have since apprehended a suspect in connection with the heinous crime.…

THE Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, on Friday disclosed that notorious terrorist kingpin, Bello Turji, has declared that he is ready to surrender. With his second in command and other lieutenants recently taken out by the military, the Chief of Defence Staff said that Turji has been forced to discard most of those under him, signalling his willingness to lay down his arms. “They (terrorists) are within the communities; the people know them. So, sometimes when they see them, before you get the information, it’s like two hours – the man has moved. So, when the information gets…

GOVERNOR Dikko Radda of Katsina State has declared that his administration will never negotiate with criminal elements perpetuating evil acts in the state. The governor disclosed this on Wednesday while hosting the General Officer Commanding 8 Division and Commander of Joint Task Force Northwest Operation, Major General Ibikunle Ademola Ajose, during a courtesy visit to the governor at the Katsina Government House, Katsina State. He stressed that the government can only go into a peace deal with the bandits on some laid down conditions to ensure lasting peace. The governor added that the negotiation can only be successful with the…

THE Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has confirmed the outbreak of anthrax in Zamfara State. The ministry in a statement on Tuesday by its Director of Information and Public, Mr. Ben Bem Goong, said the outbreak was recorded on a farm in north west state. The statement called for heightened vigilance and proactive measures to mitigate the risks associated with the disease. “Anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is a zoonotic disease that can affect various warm-blooded animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and wildlife, as well as humans. It is listed as a notifiable disease by the…

TWO notorious bandit leaders in Katsina State are said to have surrendered their arms with over 15 kidnapped victims in their captivity in Batsari Local Government Area of the State. The bandit leaders were identified as notorious leaders, Abu Radde and Umar Black. Many have attributed their surrender to the intense military operations conducted by the combined forces of Operation FANSAN YANMA and other security agencies in the area. Security sources told News Point Nigeria on Tuesday that the surrender ceremony held on Sunday was widely attended by key stakeholders, comprising some representatives from the military, and traditional and religious…

COMBINED ground and air troops under Operation Fansan Yanma have escalated their offensive against the notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, in Zamfara State. Recent coordinated military strikes have dismantled his key hideouts in Fakai, a stronghold in Shinkafi Local Government Area, where Turji and his associates have long operated, competent security expert Zagazola Makama hinted. “This comes after a series of successful missions that resulted in the destruction of multiple bandit camps in the Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Zamfara State. “Among the camps targeted were Zangon Dan Gwandi, Zangon Tsaika, Zangon Kagara, and a school reportedly used by…

TROOPS of the Defence Headquarters Special Operations Brigade have neutralised six terrorists during a coordinated operation against Lakurawa terrorists in the Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State. According to a statement signed and made available to newsmen on Thursday by the Coordinator, Joint Media Coordination Centre, Operation Fansan Yamma, Lt Col Abubakar Abdullahi, the operation led to an intense firefight where five soldiers lost their lives. “The troops recovered the following items from the operation, four AK-47 rifles, 160 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and one box of 12.7mm ammunition. “Despite this success, the operation came at a heavy…

BANDITS have invaded the General Hospital in Kankara local government area of Katsina State, shooting a medical doctor and kidnapping an unknown number of hospital staff. The attack occurred around 7:00pm on Tuesday night, during which Dr. Murtala Sale Dandashire was shot. According to a resident of the area, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the bandits invaded the hospital premises in a coordinated attack, creating panic among staff and patients and shot sporadically. The resident confirmed that the injured doctor, who was shot in the leg, is currently alive and receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility. Dr.…

THE Nigeria Police Force said it has written and demanded an immediate retraction and public apology regarding a publication titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on and Bad Governance Protests” written to Amnesty International. A Tuesday statement by the Force’s Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumiyiwa Adejobi said the letter was dated 6th January 2025. The NPF said the publication which included numerous unsubstantiated claims, falsely accused the Nigeria Police of human rights violations, police brutality, and excessive violence during the August 2024 End Bad Governance protests. The statement said “Upon careful review and investigation, the NPF categorically rejects these…

OPERATIVES of the Kano Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested five officials of the Katsina State Internal Revenue Service over an alleged diversion of about N1.3 billion belonging to the state government. The suspects identified as Rabiu Abdullahi, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro, Ibrahim Aliyu and Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri, were arrested following a petition from the state government. Katsina state government had alleged that they colluded and diverted the said money accruing to the state from the World Health Organization, Medicins Sans Frontiers and Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA). The suspects…

TRAGEDY struck in the Tungar Kara community under Gidan Goga district of Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State, on Saturday evening, as an accidental airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) mistakenly hit members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes and residents, leaving at least 16 people dead. According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred shortly after armed bandits raided the area and fled. Local vigilantes and residents, who were defending their community against the attackers, were reportedly caught in the airstrike. A lawmaker representing Maradun II Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly Maharazu Salisu Gado…

TOP bandit commanders have been killed in a series of airstrikes in Zamfara State, the Nigerian Air Force said on Sunday. In a statement, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, said the strikes which were conducted in collaboration with ground troops left several other bandits injured. Though Akinboyewa didn’t give an exact number of casualties, he said local intelligence reports confirmed that the bandits, loyal to notorious leader Kachallah Bello Turji, suffered heavy casualties. He stated that despite the airstrikes, the whereabouts of notorious bandits leader, Kachallah Turji, remain unknown. “Scores of bandits were…

BARELY a week after killing two police officers, terrorists belonging to Lakurawa group have killed three staff of a leading telecommunication firm. The insurgents were said to have invaded a construction site at Gumki village in Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi State. It was gathered that the deceased were installing a surveillance mast for the Nigeria Immigration Service in the area when the terrorists struck and killed them and one other person who is yet to be identified. Though the police report said three of the deceased were Airtel staff, the locals said they were immigration staff. A staff…

THE Presidency has reacted to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed’s recent comments about the president not listening to the people, asking him to face governance in the northern state and stop playing irresponsible politics. Earlier in the week, Mohammed had a talk with the National Chairman Council of Ulama Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa’Ikamatis Sunnah, Sheikh Sani Jingir, over the state of the nation. Jingir was a staunch proponent of the Muslim-Muslim Ticket that brought President Bola Tinubu to power in May 2023. “It is true that we are not on good terms with him (Tinubu) because our brothers and sisters…

A NOTORIOUS bandit leader, “Baƙo-baƙo” along with his fighters, was neutralised on Thursday by Joint Security Forces in a clearance operation conducted on Batsari Forest in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State. Security sources said the operation was meticulously planned and executed by the troops of the Nigerian Army, the Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Katsina Security Watch Corps with troops advancing into the bandits’ stronghold under the cover of dusk. In a fierce gun battle, “Baƙo-baƙo” and his men were overwhelmed by the superior firepower and strategy of the combined forces. Baƙo-baƙo…

GOMBE State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has flagged off the distribution of a 1.5 billion Naira intervention fund to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and households affected by the devastating floods during the past rainy season in Gombe State. The intervention covers 10,000 beneficiaries identified from across various communities, including members of associations, the physically challenged, and other vulnerable groups. Speaking at the event, the Governor restated that the welfare of the people remains at the center of his administration’s focus, with a strong emphasis on supporting livelihoods and businesses. “The welfare of the people of Gombe…