Author: Sani Nura

A FORMER Commissioner of Information in Edo State, Kassim Afegbua, says there was an arrangement that General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida would succeed former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007 but Obasanjo refused that after IBB blocked his third term plan, and Obasanjo instead picked late President Umar Musa Yar’adua, who was planned to act as the Director General of IBB’s campaign team. Afegbua, in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday and obtained by News Point Nigeria, narrated how Obasanjo held a meeting with some former heads of state, including Babangida, and they rejected his bid. He said the facts…

RIVERS State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Sunday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his sustained efforts at defeating the Boko Haram insurgents and bandits terrorizing and destroying parts of the country. Governor Wike made this commendation at the Government House, Port Harcourt after the wreath-laying ceremony to mark the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration at Isaac Boro park. The governor noted that after the civil war broke out a few years after independence, the armed forces were forced to quell the ensuing rebellion, which ended after three gruesome years of internecine warfare. He added that ever since then, there is hardly a year when members…

NO fewer than ten persons were reportedly killed in a multiple road crash that happened at Nicon Junction, Nnamdi Azikiwe road, Abuja. The incident happened around 1:20pm on Sunday, according to witnesses. Details were still sketchy as of the time of filing this report, but a witness, Israel Adegboyega, said it involved a Toyota, a Camry and a Mazda. People in the three cars, those waiting to cross the express and those waiting to board vehicles to their destinations were victims. The witness said he counted eight people on the floor, while three died on the spot In his words,…

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday, led other senior members of the government to participate in the Wreath Laying Ceremony that marked the climax of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration. The President, who arrived at the National Arcade, Abuja, at 10:05 am, was immediately ushered onto the saluting dais for the National Salute. President Buhari, who inspected the Guards of Honour, accompanied by the Commander, Brigade of Guards, Major General Muhammad Takuti Usman, later proceeded to the Cenotaph for the Wreath Laying Ceremony. After the President, other dignitaries that laid wreaths were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the President of the…

THE Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi Inuwa, has won the 2022 ‘Foreign Investment Network (FIN)-Forbes Outstanding Corporate Governance CEO’. Kashifu Inuwa was announced as the winner at a virtual award ceremony on Friday, just as NITDA concluded trainings of over 100 journalists on digital journalism and fact-checking. Dalith Steiger, a Global AI Strategist and Innovator, read the citation on Kashifu. Steiger who is also AI Thought Leader and Advisor Fortune 500 enterprises & governments said Kashifu Inuwa is a versatile IT professional, strategist and transformation manager with experience spanning the private and…

EDUCATION, Health and Security take the priority list as APC Governorship Candidate in Bauchi State, Sadique Abubakar, unveils his manifestoes ahead of the March 11 elections. Notable faces in Nigeria’s political landscape are here to lend support to a former Chief of the Air staff flying the flag of the ruling party in Bauchi State. Not a few describe his emergence as Governorship Candidate as the needed tonic to right the blurred scorecard of the ruling party in the state. His track record in the Airforce and the immense role played in decimating terrorists from no less than seventeen local…

FORMER Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd); Attorney-General of the Federation and minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN and former minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi among others, have declared support for the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (retd), ahead of the March 11 governorship election. The trio disclosed this at a fund-raising dinner and unveiling of the Manifesto of the Bauchi State APC governorship candidate in Abuja on Friday. Other dignitaries, who attended the event were the State APC chairman, Babayo Aliyu Misau; his deputy, Mohammed Hassan;…

THE Kaduna State All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council has said it will commence its campaign next week Monday as the party released its timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election, covering the 34 state constituencies. A statement signed by the secretary of the campaign council, Malam Yahaya Baba Pate, stated that the campaign will kick off next week Monday, January 16, 2023 in Giwa local government area. The statement promised that APC will run an issues-based campaign, with decency and devoid of mudslinging and name calling, adding that the campaign will be devoid of thuggery and…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa State has called on voters to rush and collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) before the closing date on January 22. Mr Hudu Ari, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, made the call at the stakeholders meeting ahead of the forthcoming general elections in Yola. He said that as at January 10th, 253,774 PVCs were not collected even as elections days are fast approaching. “The collection shall be ending on January 22, 2023, I call on all stakeholders to join in the crusade for enlightenment, awareness and sensitisation of our citizens…

A TRAILER on Wednesday night killed an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at Kure Ultramodern Market in Minna, the Niger State capital. The deceased was said to have been on his way to work the night shift when he was hit by the trailer. The driver of the trailer reportedly ran away, leaving the deceased on the road. Though passersby attempted to help the Corps’ operative to the hospital, he died immediately. The Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kumar Tsukwam, confirmed the incident, saying it was a fatal crash.…

JERSEY City Medical Centre, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, has announced the appointment of Ijeoma Akunyili, as its new Chief Medical Officer. Ijeoma is the daughter of the late former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and ex-Minister of Information, Dora Akunyili. Announcing the appointment in a statement on Wednesday, the medical centre said Ijeoma is its first Black Chief Medical Officer. The centre’s MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical and Quality Officer, Andy Anderson, said the younger Akunyili would be a tremendous asset to the medical team. “RWJBarnabas Health is proud to…

GOVERNOR Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has commiserated with the Chairman of Gombe State Council of Ulamas of the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah,  Sheikh Hamza Adam Abdulhamid, over the demise of his father,  Sheikh Adamu Abdulhamid Usman. The late Islamic scholar, aged 97, died today in Gombe after a brief illness. Governor Inuwa,  who led a government delegation to attend the funeral prayer ( Janazah) held at the Shagon Goro Izala Mosque No. 1, new commercial area, Gombe,  described the late cleric as an embodiment of humility and a scholar of note who led a life of service to Allah…

THE Katsina State Police Command has arrested three teenagers for allegedly kidnapping a six-year old girl and demanding N2m ransom. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah, disclosed this in a statement made available to News Point Nigeria on Thursday. According to the statement, the three suspects; Abdulrazak Ibrahim, Aliyu Salisu, and Mohammed Ibrahim are all 19 years of age. Isah added that, the suspects conspired and kidnapped their six-year old victim, Fatima Abubakar, from Bachirawa quarters, Kano state on January 6. He explained that the suspects whisked their victim to Katsina State and demanded for N2 million ransom…

GUSAU, the capital city of Zamfara State stood still as party faithful and Supporters of the people’s Democratic Party welcome its Governorship Candidate, Dauda Lawal to the state. The mammoth crowd welcomed Mr. Dauda from Yankara, a community bordering Katsina and Zamfara state Monday evening. The ever busy Funtua – Gusau road was almost shut as thousands trooped to the streets in support of Dauda’s Governorship ambition. Dr. Dauda’s entourage has been on the road for several hours and arrived Gusau at about 12:05am Tuesday morning The welcome home rally was in Continuation of the PDP’s Celebration over their victory…

THE Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has called on governors of the 36 States of the federation not to leave the fight against insecurity in the country to the Federal Government alone. According to the AGF, there was need to explore areas of collaboration between the States and the Federal Government in terms of prosecution and other means of combatting insecurity. He spoke at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Conference Of Attorneys-General in Nigeria, held in Abuja on Tuesday. It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had warned that…

BANDITS have demanded N50 million ransom for the release of a retired colonel, Rabiu Yandoto and his two children who were still in captivity. One of Yandoto’s relations who begged for anonymity for security reasons said the bandits called him and demanded N50 million ransom. Suspected bandits kidnapped the retired colonel and his two children along Gusau-Tsafe road in Zamfara State last week. The retired colonel was going back to his hometown together with his children, when they were ambushed by bandits and taken to the forest. The money according to him has however been reduced to N5 million, following…

SEVEN personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been killed in an ambush in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State. An unspecified number of vigilantes and a policeman were also killed in the ambush, News Point Nigeria gathered. The victims were taken to the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna, just a stone throw from the NSCDC Kaduna command. Details later…

THE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu has promised to end kidnapping and all forms of insecurity in Nigeria if elected in the forthcoming February 25 election. “There will be end to killing and kidnapping,” Tinubu promised APC supporters at a rally in Yola, the Adamawa State capital on Monday. The 70-year-old former Lagos State governor also promised to provide jobs for youths, facilitate adequate healthcare, good education amongst other “benefits of progress” if elected. Tinubu was at the rally alongside APC stalwarts including President Muhammadu Buhari and the party’s governorship candidate for Adamawa, Aisha Ahmed…

THE Federal Minister of Transportation, Mua’zu Sambo, Weekend, has assured Nigerians that the security agencies are making efforts to rescue the kidnapped passengers of the Tom Ikimi Train Station Igueben in Edo State. In a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Henshaw Ogubike, the minister condemned the recent attack on innocent citizens, describing it as despicable and utterly barbaric. The statement reads: “The Public is hereby reassured that the security Agencies are making efforts to rescue the kidnapped Train passengers. “The Nigerian Police is on the trail of the criminals and have mobilised with a view to…

A CANDIDATE of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Birnin Kebbi/Kalgo/Bunza Federal Constituency of the House of Representatives, Barrister Abba Bello Haliru, is dead. Confirming his death, PDP Governorship Campaign Council Director General, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu, said Haliru died after a brief illness, on Friday. Abba Bello Haliru won the PDP ticket by defeating the incumbent House of Representatives member, Bello Relisco in the party’s primary last year.