Author: Sani Nura

GOVERNORS from Nigeria’s North-East region have raised grave concerns over imminent flooding and a potential food crisis, urging immediate intervention from the Federal Government to avert large-scale humanitarian and infrastructural devastation. The governors, under the umbrella of the North-East Governors’ Forum (NEGF), sounded the warning during their 12th meeting held in Jalingo, Taraba State, on Saturday. The forum comprises governors from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states. In a communiqué read by Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, the leaders noted forecasts by credible climate risk agencies predicting widespread flooding across the subregion. They stressed the need for proactive…

ANOTHER tragedy struck Sokoto State late on Thursday as a passenger boat capsized in Shagari Local Government Area, leaving several people feared missing in what has become another grim reminder of the recurring disasters on local waterways. The Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on Emergency Management, Aminu Bodinga, confirmed the latest mishap to News Point Nigeria on Friday, noting that officials of the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had been dispatched to the scene. “The ill-fated boat was carrying several passengers when it capsized, throwing everyone on board into the river,” Bodinga said. He added that while casualty…

GOVERNOR Nasir Idris of Kebbi State has approved the appointment of Sanusi Mika’ilu Sami as the new Emir of Zuru, following the passing of the former Emir, Muhammad Sani Sami Gomo II, who died on August 16, 2025, at a hospital in London. News Point Nigeria reports that the appointment was formally announced on Thursday in Zuru by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Garba Dutsin-Mari, who presented the letter of office to the newly installed monarch. Dutsin-Mari explained that the decision was based on the recommendation of the Zuru Emirate kingmakers’ election committee. According to him, three…

A POLICE officer has been arrested after allegedly shooting a soldier dead in Futuk, Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, during a confrontation over a truck suspected to be transporting illegally mined minerals. The incident, which occurred on Monday evening, was confirmed by the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 33 Artillery Brigade, Atang Hallet Solomon. He disclosed that the officer involved is now in custody and that the matter is under joint investigation by the Nigerian Army and the Police. According to eyewitnesses, trouble started when soldiers of the 33 Artillery Brigade ordered the driver of a…

AFTER several months of speculation over his whereabouts, the Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Aminu Alkali, has quietly returned to Jalingo, the state capital, following a prolonged absence from office. Although no official statement has been issued by the state government regarding his return, a short video clip showing Alkali seated in his office surfaced on social media Tuesday, sparking conversations across the state. Sources confirmed to News Point Nigeria that the deputy governor flew into Yola Airport from Abuja before being driven in a convoy of four vehicles to his official residence at the Government House in Jalingo.…

THE former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2019 general elections in Kebbi State, Senator Isa Galaudu, has formally resigned his membership from the party. Galaudu, who once served as Chief of Staff to the former Senate President, announced his resignation in a letter dated August 20 and addressed to the PDP Ward Chairman in Augie North, Muhammadu Danbuga obtained by News Point Nigeria. He stated that his exit from the party takes immediate effect. In the letter, the former banker and former board member of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, said his resignation was necessitated by ongoing developments…

MUSLIMS in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, have been banned from organizing all forms of wedding parties following a new ruling issued by the Muslim Council of Taraba State. News Point Nigeria reports that the prohibition covers traditional celebrations such as Kauyawa Day (Villagers’ Day) and Ajo parties, during which young men and women often dress in tattered clothes and dance late into the night in the name of wedding festivities. The decision, which was jointly endorsed by all imams in Jalingo, traditional rulers, and backed by the authorities, was announced last Friday during the Khuduba (sermon) at Jummat mosques…

A FORMER military administrator of Plateau state, and later Senator representing Adamawa North, Colonel Muhammad Mana is dead. He died Friday evening in Abuja, two days after he was reportedly being discharged from an Abuja hospital. A family member of the deceased, and Sarkin Fulani of Mubi, Abdurrahman B Kwaccham, confirmed the development to this newspaper on Friday night. Hailed from Maiha LGA in Adamawa State, Mana was the military administrator of Plateau State between December 1993 and August 1996, during the late head of state Gen Sani Abacha regime. He later became commander of the presidential guard brigade during…

THE lawmaker representing Jibia/Kaita Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Sada Soli, has raised alarm that the armed bandits who carried out Tuesday’s massacre at a mosque in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State are not only known to security operatives but also hold control of territories in parts of the state. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday monitored by News Point Nigeria, Soli said the assailants responsible for killing dozens of worshippers during early morning (Subhi) prayers operate freely across border communities and are linked to the ongoing crisis in neighbouring Zamfara State. “They are…

THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday said that three bodies have so far been recovered from the boat accident in Sokoto State. It said that 25 people out of the over 50 passengers of the boat had so far been rescued. The agency, however, said that it had concluded the search and rescue operation. NEMA’s Head of Sokoto Operation Office, Aliyu Kafindangi, disclosed this on Wednesday. “For the past three days, we have been on a rescue mission after a boat carrying farmers, market men, and women capsized. “The boat capsized on Sunday with over 50 passengers on…

A QUIET dawn prayer in Katsina State turned into a scene of horror on Tuesday as gunmen suspected to be bandits stormed a mosque in Unguwan Mantau community, Malumfashi Local Government Area, and opened fire on worshippers, killing at least 13 people. The attack, which occurred during the Fajr (Subhi) prayers, has thrown the community into mourning and heightened fears of renewed violence in the state. In a statement, the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, described the massacre as a reprisal attack carried out by criminal gangs following a confrontation with local residents.…

AT least 62 kidnapped victims have regained their freedom after a decisive airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) shattered a notorious bandits’ camp in Jigawa Sawai, Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State. The Katsina State Government confirmed the development in a statement released by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mu’azu, on Sunday. According to the statement, the military action was targeted at the hideout of Muhammadu Fulani, a notorious bandit kingpin whose gang has been responsible for repeated attacks across Katsina and neighboring Zamfara. The strike, carried out at 5:10pm on Saturday, forced the…

A TRAGIC boat mishap has once again thrown Sokoto State into mourning after 10 passengers were confirmed dead and 29 others declared missing when a boat capsized in Kojiyo Ward, Goronyo Local Government Area, on Sunday, August 17, 2025, around noon. The Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement, describing it as a devastating loss to the affected families and the state at large. According to the Goronyo SEMA Desk Officer, the ill-fated boat was conveying about 45 passengers when it suddenly capsized mid-river. At the time of filing this report, six passengers had been…

KEBBI State was thrown into mourning on Saturday night following the death of the Emir of Zuru, Major General Muhammadu Sani Sami II (rtd), who passed away at the age of 81 in a London hospital after a brief illness. The news of his passing was confirmed in separate statements by the Kebbi State Government on Sunday. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ahmed Idris, and the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Garba Umar-Dutsinmari, both described the late Emir as a towering traditional ruler and elder statesman who devoted his life to the service of…

A DEVASTATING flash flood has destroyed two bridges, several houses, and farms in the Dandi and Suru local government areas of Kebbi State. The flood, which occurred on Thursday, led to the collapse of two bridges, one in Fana township and another linking the Dakingari-Kyangakwai road. Several houses and vast farmlands were also submerged across the affected communities. The Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Umar Tafida, extended the government’s condolences to the victims in Fana, Aljannare, and Kampani villages in Dandi, Suru, and Argungu LGAs. He also presented relief materials and financial support worth ₦70 million to help alleviate…

BAUCHI State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has appointed a Chinese national, Li Zhensheng, as Economic Adviser to the state government. Mohammed announced this on Thursday during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the China Global Promotion Cooperation Research Centre in Bauchi. The move, according to the governor, is aimed at positioning Bauchi as a rising hub of international cooperation, with the long-term partnership expected to accelerate investment, infrastructure development, and bilateral collaboration across sectors such as agriculture, education, healthcare, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, and trade facilitation. “As part of the deal, a Bauchi State Representative Office will be…

FORMER Governor of Sokoto State and serving Senator, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has broken his silence on his recent encounter with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), asserting that he will not be cowed by any political or institutional pressure. News Point Nigeria reports that addressing journalists in Sokoto upon his return from EFCC custody, Tambuwal described his visit to the anti-graft agency as voluntary, stating that he honoured their invitation on August 6. According to him, after initial questioning at the EFCC headquarters, he was allowed to return home but asked to report again on August 10…

GOVERNOR Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State has announced a three-week medical leave to address health concerns. A statement by Bala Salisu Zango, the state Commissioner for Information and Culture, on Thursday said Radda would begin his medical leave on Monday August 18, 2025. The governor expressed gratitude to the people of the state for their understanding and prayers. He emphasized his commitment to returning to serve the people of the state with renewed energy and dedication. The statement said, “I want to thank everyone for their kind words and ongoing support,” Governor Radda said. “Taking the necessary steps to…

ARMED men loyal to notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji have launched a fresh assault on Garki village in Sokoto State, abducting 16 residents, killing one, and rustling several livestock despite ongoing claims of peace deal with government mediators. News Point Nigeria reports that the attack, which occurred on Wednesday evening, was reportedly led by one of Turji’s most trusted lieutenants, Kallamu and some other of his men. Witnesses said the gunmen arrived in large numbers, firing indiscriminately to create panic before rounding up hostages and stealing livestock. “They came in large numbers, took away 16 people, killed one man, and…

IN a landmark move aimed at deepening grassroots governance and improving service delivery, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has transmitted a bill to the Gombe State House of Assembly seeking approval for the creation of 13 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) across the state. The proposal, which the governor described as “a historic step towards inclusive and participatory democracy,” is designed to bring governance closer to communities, especially those in rural and underserved areas. The proposed LCDAs will function as administrative subdivisions of existing Local Government Areas (LGAs). According to Governor Yahaya, their establishment will allow for faster responses to…