Author: Sani Nura

GOVERNOR Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON earlier today, led dignitaries to partake in the nuptial rites of Dr. Maryam ( Kamila) Kwairanga, daughter of Chairman of Nigeria Exchange Limited,  Dr. Umaru Kwairanga ( Sarkin Fulanin Gombe) and her hearthrob, Khalid Dahiru Buba Biri. The wedding fatiha which took place at the Palace of the Emir of Gombe, witnessed the presence of high profile dignitaries, including Africa’s richest man,  Alhaji Aliko Dangote, renowned banking and financial sector leader, Alhaji Umar Mutallab, former Governors of Gombe and Sokoto States; Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo and Aminu Tambuwal, Acting National Chairman of PDP, Amb. Damagum, members…

SEVEN pupils of a Qur’anic School popularly called ‘Almajiris’ at Malam Dan-Umma Qur’anic School at Bayan Science, Badariya area in Birnin Kebbi local government area of Kebbi State, have died following a collapse of excavation pit on them. Confirming the incident to journalists on Saturday at his residence located in the school premises, proprietor of the Qur’anic School, Malam Dan-Umma, said the seven pupils died on the spot while another one was hospitalised as a result injuries from the accident. He revealed that the burrow pit collapsed and buried the victims while collecting laterite sands. “I assigned them to go…

GUNMEN suspected to be assassins have killed the Chief of Sansani, Alhaji Abdulmutallib Nuhu, in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State. This was confirmed by the Assistant Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Kwache Gambo, in a telephone interview. According to her, the gunmen in their numbers stormed the residence of the monarch and shot him dead without asking for anything. She stated that the assassins invaded the palace of Jankada of Sansani by 22:00hrs Thursday night. Gambo revealed that empty shells of ammunitions were found in the palace and no arrests have been made so far. She…

NUHU Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, NSA, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s astute approach and proactive strides in addressing the country’s security challenges is yielding positive results. Ribadu made the observation on Thursday while delivering a paper at a pre convocation lecture of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto held in Sokoto. He said Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” offers a comprehensive framework to tackle insecurity. In the paper titled, “Navigating the Maze: Addressing Multi-Dimensional Insecurity Challenges in Northern Nigeria”, the NSA described the development as a stance for all inclusive government. “The agenda encompasses bolstering…

INVESTIGATIONS have revealed that as more Boko Haram insurgents who surrender their arms and ammunition to the government and renounce acts of terrorism and banditry continue to be reintegrated into the life of normalcy, there are big concerns that the females among them are increasingly finding it difficult to get male spouses. More findings indicate that even as the repentant terrorists are settled into their various home communities, the females among them have complained that since their return, it has been difficult for them to marry as the law-abiding men in the society avoid them like a plague. This fresh…

GUNMEN suspected to be bandits have killed Musa Ille, the Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Ille was killed in front of his house when the assailant invaded his house on Monday night. The PDP Chairman in the local government, Garba Garewa, confirmed the killing of the party’s secretary in Tsafe to News Point Nigeria on Tuesday. “We are suspecting his killers to be bandits, they entered his house yesterday (Monday) and shot him,” Garewa stated. A resident of the area, Abubakar Tsafe, also told News Point Nigeria that when…

GOMBE State Government has introduced a monthly mandatory general sanitation exercise as a deliberate effort by the Inuwa Yahaya- led administration to ensure sustainable and healthy environment for human habitation across the state. This is contained in a memo conveying Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s approval of last Saturday of every month as General Environmental Sanitation Day, starting from April month. The memo, signed by the Commissioner of Water, Environment and Forest Resources, Mohammed Sa’idu Fawu, further said the exercise will be conducted between 8:00 am and 10:00am during which restriction of movements of all kinds will be enforced except for…

GOVERNOR Dikko Radda of Katsina State has launched ten armoured personnel carrier vehicles to support the ongoing joint operation led by the police, the army, and the Katsina Security Watch Corps across eight local government areas of the state. While performing the ceremony at the Katsina Government House on Monday, Radda pledged continued support for security agencies in the state. He recalled that his government inherited insecurity but said the launch of the armoured carrier was in fulfilment of one of his campaign promises to provide all necessary support needed to restore peace in the state. According to him, a…

THE remaining staff and students of the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, who were abducted on September 22, 2023, have regained freedom. Bandits had invaded hostels in Sabon-Gida community of the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara, abducting over 20 students, mostly ladies. After several efforts by the university authorities and family members, some of the captives were released after months, but 23 remained in captivity. However, sources told this newspaper that the remaining students were rescued by security forces on Sunday. This newspaper saw pictures of some of the captives being conveyed in buses. The source added that some…

IN a bid to tap into the vast economic potential of Gombe State, the state government and Osprey Investment Group UK, a renowned British consultancy and investment firm, have initiated discussions aimed at unlocking new opportunities and propelling the State towards sustainable development and prosperity as envisioned by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya. At a meeting, held earlier today at the Government House Gombe between the Gombe State Governor  and Mr. David Winn, Chairman of Osprey Investment Group UK, both parties expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of collaboration across various sectors including Agriculture, Energy, and Trade. Mr. Winn outlined his company’s…

BORNO State government has said 89 out of 276 abducted girls of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, are still in captivity. The state Commissioner for Information and Internal security Affairs, Prof Usman Tar, disclosed this at a press conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the ugly event. April 14, 2014, would mark the tenth year of the abduction of the school girls. “So far, 187 of the 276 abducted Chibok girls have been rescued and reunited with their families; 89 are still missing,” he said. Tar, who spoke alongside his counterpart of Women Affairs, Zuwaira Gambo, noted that the…

A POLICE inspector (name withheld) has reportedly committed suicide in Maiduguri, Borno State capital. The late officer was attached to Gwange Divisional of Borno Police Command. According to community sources, he was looking healthy when he was last seen three days ago. It is unclear why the policeman took the action. His neighbors at Layin Bayan, Wulari Jerusalem area of Maiduguri raised the alarm on Saturday morning when they noticed his door was locked from behind and a strange oduor was emanating from there. The matter was immediately reported to metro Division of Borno Police Command and some officers were…

THE two students of the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State, who were abducted last week have regained freedom. Their captives released them near Chinkai village, which is about 30 kilometers from Wukari town, where they were kidnapped. The head of information and protocol unit of the university Ashu Agya disclosed this to this newspaper in a telephone interview. She confirmed that ransom was paid before the release of the two abducted students, on Thursday. Findings revealed that the abductors had demanded N50M million ransom but was turned down by the families of the students. However sources told this newspaper that…

THOUSANDS of Muslim faithful trooped out in Maiduguri, Yola and Damaturu the capitals of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states respectively to observe prayers for the Eid-Al-Fitr on Wednesday. In Maiduguri, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Gov. Babagana Zulum, and Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi, joined other Muslim faithful to observe the prayers at Ramat Square. The two raka’at prayers were led by Imam Shettima Saleh, who prayed for the total restoration of lasting peace in Borno. A colourful durbar was organised by the Shehu of Borno to mark the occasion. In Yola, former Vice-President, who is the Waziri of Adamawa, Atiku…

A SOKOTO Muslim cleric, Sheikh Musa Lukwa, on Tuesday, led his followers to observe Eid prayer. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, had on Monday, declared Wednesday, as the day of Eid-Al-Fitr. The Sultan, who is the President General of Nigeria’s Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, said the decision followed the report of National Moon Sighting Committees across the country, which confirmed the non-sighting of the new moon. A statement signed by the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs to the Sultanate Council, Prof Sambo Junaidu, made available to newsmen in Sokoto on Monday evening, said, “The…

THE Sokoto state government has sought the federal government’s intervention over a strange disease that killed three children in Isa local government area of the state. Speaking while receiving the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate and the Chief Executive Officer of Global Alliance Vaccine Initiative (GAVI), Dr Sania Nishtar, in the state at the weekend, the deputy Governor, Engineer Idris Gobir, said 127 children were already infected. According to him, the state government had responded to the development by deploying team of experts to the area for investigation. “We therefore seek the intervention of the federal…

AGRO Rangers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, on Saturday, repelled an attack by suspected bandits on the Federal Government’s grain silo in the Dutsinma Local Government Area of Katsina State. In a statement on Sunday, the spokesman for the NSCDC, Buhari Hamisu, said the bandits who carried the attack at about 1 a.m., wanted to destroy the silo and abduct its manager, Mr Lawal Shitu-Yar’adua. According to Hamisu, the Agro Rangers responded swiftly, engaging the bandits in a fierce gun duel for over two hours. “The valiant operatives overpowered the criminals, who scaled the rear fence of…

THE Katsina State Police Command said it has neutralised five suspected bandits, rescued over 100 kidnapped victims and recovered 658 rustled animals from March 1 to 31. Within the period under review, a total number of 51 cases of major crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, culpable homicides, cattle rustling among others, were reported, and 30 cases were charged to court. The Police Spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, disclosed this in a press briefing held at the Command Headquarters on Friday, noting that a total number of 64 suspects were arrested in connection with these cases. He explained that a…

GOVERNOR Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has approved N500,000 subsidy for each of the 1,373 intending pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj exercise from the state. Ismaila Uba-Misilli, Director-General, Press Affairs, Government House, Gombe, said this in a statement on Friday. Mr Uba-Misilli said the decision was in response to the recent announcement by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) regarding adjustments to the 2024 Hajj fare. He stated that the governor’s approval was to mitigate the financial strain on the state pilgrims in the face of current economic challenges. “Gov. Yahaya hopes that this intervention will contribute to a…

THE Katsina State Government has refuted the claim by the Debt Management Office (DMO) that the Governor Dikko Radda-led administration has increased the state’s debt profile. A report recently published by the DMO indicated that Katsina under Governor Radda, together with some other states of the federation, collected fresh loans to worsen their prevailing debt crises. The spokesperson to the Governor, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, however, in a statement on Wednesday, faulted the report, stating that the Governor Radda-led government has preoccupied itself with repaying subsisting loans secured by previous administrations since it came on board. The statement further noted that…