Author: Sani Nura

AT least 50 farmers have been reportedly killed by bandits in various communities in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, while several others have fled their homes. This newspaper gathered that the attacks occured between Wednesday and Saturday. In the latest attacks on about five villages which took place between 2pm on Friday and Saturday morning, an unspecified number of lives were lost and several others abducted including women and girls. Our correspondent was told that while 13 people lost their lives in Kusherki community, 12 others were killed in Gidigori village and several others were yet to be…

SOME vehicles have been seized from the residence of the immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, in Gusau, the state capital. Sources told this newspaper that Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) were impounded during a raid on Matawalle’s GRA residence in Gusau, on Friday on the order of the state governor, Dauda Lawal Dare. Speaking on a local radio station, the governor had said, “Former governor Bello Matawalle had gone away with 17 vehicles from his office and those in the deputy governor’s office claiming that the vehicles are his personal belongings. In fact, not even office equipment were…

BORNO State Governor, Babagana Zulum has directed the Ministry of Health to investigate and fish out medical staff on duty for allegedly rejecting victims of accidents rushed to Umaru Shehu Ultra Modern Hospital in Maiduguri. Zulum gave the directive on Thursday at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital. The governor’s visit to the hospital was in response to a video clip which went viral showing how some medical officers allegedly rejected accident victims brought to the hospital on a date and time that that will be determined by investigators. He gave 24 hours for a probe team to…

GUNMEN suspected to be kidnappers have abducted Zainab Abbas, who is the wife of an Adamawa State High Court Judge. The incident reportedly occurred between the hours of 1:00 am to 2:00 am on Wednesday at Nyibango, Army Barracks road in Jimeta Yola, Adamawa State. A fortnight ago, a gang of kidnappers stormed the community and whisked away a renowned televangelist Pastor Mike Ochigbo. The Police Command in Adamawa disclosed the latest abduction in a statement and vowed to rescue the wife of the abducted High Court Judge. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Suleiman Nguroje said…

BANDITS have attacked Sakiddar Magaji and Janbako communities of the Maradun Local Government Area in Zamfara State, killing no fewer than 10 persons. Sources from the Janbako community confirmed the tragic incident to News Point Nigeria on Sunday, saying that several others sustained various injuries. In reaction to the latest attack, the Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal condemned the attack on the two communities in the Maradun local government area of the state. He described the attack as barbaric and unprovoked aggression against innocent people, adding that his administration will not fold its arms and allow criminal elements to unleash…

THE Katsina State Internal Revenue Service (KTIRS) has embarked on a warning exercise to recover over N1 billion in debt and liabilities from erring commercial banks and other taxpayers operating in the state. During the exercise monitored by Channels Television on Friday, officials of the State Internal Revenue Service led by the Executive Chairman visited three commercial banks in the state and an electricity distribution company, posting notices in some strategic places. The Executive Chairman of the service, Dr. Mustapha Muhammad, noted that the defaulters had a period of two weeks to settle their outstanding liabilities, failure of which he…

ZAMFARA State Governor Dauda Lawal has accused his predecessor Bello Matawalle of spending N2,794,337,500 on new vehicles and failing to leave them behind upon his exit from office last Monday. The governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Sulaiman Bala Idris, in a statement on Saturday, said a contract awarded by the former governor, for the purchase of vehicles to be distributed to dignitaries and other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) at N1,149,800,000. It added that the contract for the purchase of the vehicles was awarded to Hafkhad Properties and Facilities Management Nig. LTD. He also alleged that N484,512,500…

CHIEF Whip of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Haruna Jilantikiri, has opted for bicycle in protest of the recent fuel price hike. The lawmaker, who represents Madagali constituency at the state Assembly, said he decided to dump his car and use bicycle for his daily activities. Petrol price almost tripled after President Bola Tinubu declared that the subsidy regime had ended. Hon. Jilantikiri who spoke to newsmen while riding his bicycle, on Thursday, lamented about the current petrol price. He said he does not think that citizens can afford to drive cars considering the current economic situation. “We…

NO fewer than 18 persons including famous leader, Dahiru Dangamji have been reportedly killed in a separate attacks on communities under Ruwandoruwa ward of the Maru Local Government Area in Zamfara State. An eyewitness, Aminu Ilyasu, who is a member of local vigilante group known as Yan Sakai, told News Point Nigeria that the armed bandits had targeted the vigilante leader of Dangamji community. He said the vigilante leader, Dahiru Dangamji was killed alongside three other persons in his hideout inside bush around Danzara community. “The bandits purposely targeted a vigilante leader Dangamji. He was killed alongside three other persons…

THE Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has appointed Alhaji Abubakar Nakwada as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG). The Governor equally appointed Mukhtar Lugga as the Chief of Staff. In another statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, the Executive Governor has also approved the appointment of Sharifudden F. Jatto as Private Secretary to the Governor; Imran Rufa’i Ahmad, as the Personal Assistant to the Governor, Aminu Almajir as the Deputy Chief of Staff Administration; Sulaiman Bala Idris as the Senior Special Assistant, New Media. Others are Nura Almajir as the Senior Special Assistant, Political Matters; Zahradeen…

THE Sokoto state governor, Ahmad Aliyu, has directed the reversal of major decisions taken by former governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal before he left office. The Press Secretary to the Governor, Abubakar Bawa, made the announcement when he addressed journalists at the Government House on Tuesday. “All recent appointments into the State Civil Service made by the out-going government after 19h March, 2023 are hereby nullified with immediate effect. The renaming of tertiary institutions in the state and other appointments related to their Governing Councils and their relocations announced recently by the out going Administration are hereby nullified. All the affected…

Katsina State Governor, Dr Umar Dikko Radda, announced his first set of appointments on Tuesday. In a statement he personally signed, the governor announced Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, a former Director General of the Federal Mortgage Bank, as the Secretary to the Government of the State and Jabiru Tsauri as the Chief of Staff. Similarly, Barr. Muhtar Aliyu Saulawa gets Deputy Chief of Staff; while Alh. Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji has been appointed as Principal Private Secretary. Other appointments approved by Governor Radda are Mallam Maiwada Danmallam, Director General Media; Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed Chief Press Secretary; Malam Miqdad Isah as Senior…

US President Joe Biden has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on his inauguration, saying he looks forward to working with the new government of Nigeria. While saying both Nigeria and the US have strong ties which dates several years back, Biden expressed his desire to strengthen the bond. “On behalf of the people of the United States, I send warm wishes to the government and people of Nigeria as they inaugurate a new President,” Biden said in a Monday statement on the White House website. “My administration has worked to strengthen ties between the United States and Nigeria, and I look…

FORMER President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Daura, his hometown, Katsina State, a few moments after he handed over the mantle of Nigeria’s leadership to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday. The white-coloured presidential plane touched down at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport carrying the former president, his wife, Aisha Buhari, and their entourage at about 1:10 pm. On arrival at the airport, Buhari was warmly received by the newly sworn-in governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda; his deputy, Faruk Jobe, alongside the State All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Muhammad Sani, as well as the Senator representing Katsina North,…

SPECIAL ADDRESS DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU INUWA YAHAYA, CON  (DAN MAJEN GOMBE) ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 2ND TERM SWEARING-IN AS THE GOVERNOR OF GOMBE STATE ON MONDAY 29TH MAY 2023, AT THE PANTAMI TOWNSHIP STADIUM GOMBE Protocols Exactly four years ago, I stood before you, conscious of the responsibility placed on my shoulders, and took the oath of office as the 4th civilian governor of Gombe State. I am grateful to God Almighty for giving me the wisdom and courage to deliver on our promises which led to my successful re-election, culminating in the new oath of office…

THE Gombe State Executive Council,  earlier today held a valedictory session to round off the life of the council. This is just as Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya inaugurated an 11- member Transition Management Committee. In his Valedictory remarks, Governor Inuwa Yahaya thanked the cabinet members for their sacrifices and dedication which saw to the success of his first tenure, noting that the achievements recorded by his administration would not have been possible without the efforts of the members whom he described as good team players. Governor Inuwa recounted that “preparatory to the coming of the government, during the campaigns and…

AS THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), intensifies operations at drug joints and routes nationwide ahead of May 29 inauguration, its operatives have intercepted a consignment of 32 pieces of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, being taken to bandits’ camp in Niger State. Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has since ordered the immediate transfer of a suspect, Musa Muhammadu caught with the explosives on Monday 22nd May along Wawa road, Kainji, Niger State to the military. NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that barely a week after, NDLEA operatives…

GOVERNOR Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has dissolved the Gombe State Executive Council and equally approved the termination of the appointment of all political appointees with effect from today, Friday,  26th May,.2023. However,  political office holders in statutory boards and commissions are excluded from this directive. Equally,  Local Government Caretaker chairmen will remain in charge of their respective councils until the expiration of their tenure on 19th June,  2023. Governor Inuwa Yahaya has also accepted the resignation of the Gombe State Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Bappayo Yahaya.  In his place, the Governor has approved the appointment of the Permanent Secretary/Principal Private…

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has today received an asset declaration form from the Code of Conduct Bureau at the state house. The form was presented to the President inside the Presidential Villa by the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Professor Muhammad Isa, who led other members of the Bureau to his office. This is in compliance with the provision of the constitution which stipulates that all public officers shall declare their assets and liabilities on the assumption of office and at the end of their tenure of office. The president-elect, Senator Bola Tinubu, the Vice president-elect, Kashim Shettima and…

THE Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, has emerged as Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum for the next four years. News Point Nigeria reports that, the Governor was unanimously elected by the 19 northern governors during their forum’s meeting held on Tuesday at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja. Governor Inuwa takes over from Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State with effect from 29th May, 2023. In his acceptance speech, Governor Inuwa promised to justify the confidence reposed in him by his colleagues across party devides. He emphasized that the good legacies of the Forum will be sustained to…