Author: Sadiq Abdullateef

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced an investigation into a petition filed by the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, over alleged abuse of office and unlawful expenditure of public funds. Findings by News Point Nigeria indicate that the anti-graft agency has begun preliminary investigative steps, including writing to relevant local and international institutions named in the petition, notably a Swiss secondary school where Ahmed’s children are reportedly enrolled. Dangote had initially submitted a petition in December 2025 to…

NO fewer than 10 state governors across Nigeria may receive a combined N140bn as security votes in 2026, following a sharp and consistent rise in the funds released for the controversial expenditure item over the past two years, News Point Nigeria’s findings have revealed. The projected figure is based on an analysis of states’ budget implementation reports and spending trends, amid worsening insecurity marked by persistent killings, kidnappings, and terror attacks across several parts of the country. Findings by this newspaper showed that more than 30 states annually earmark between N300m and N32bn as security votes. However, a core group…

TENSION erupted at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on Monday as members of the Kano business community staged a protest at the Ethiopian Airlines office over alleged tampering with luggage and theft of valuable goods by airline staff. News Point Nigeria reports that the aggrieved businessmen, many of whom trade in electronics and imported goods, accused the airline of long-standing negligence and repeated theft from passengers’ checked baggage, particularly on flights routed through Addis Ababa. The protest followed the arrival of passengers from Saudi Arabia via Addis Ababa on Sunday. According to the protesters, their flight was diverted…

At LEAST 60 newly recruited staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have raised alarm over prolonged delays in their deployment and onboarding, nearly 28 months after receiving formal employment offers from the apex bank. The affected individuals, who were issued offer letters in August 2023, said they have remained in limbo since accepting the appointments and resigning from their previous jobs as instructed by the bank. News Point Nigeria reports that speaking on behalf of the group on Monday, one of the recruits, Emmanuel Linus Dabo, said the CBN’s offer of employment was followed by clear directives from…

THE Federal Government has proposed over N41 billion in the 2026 budget for the renovation, furnishing, and equipping of 109 Nigerian foreign missions, as part of a broader effort to reposition the country’s diplomatic presence ahead of the deployment of newly appointed ambassadors in 2026. Findings by News Point Nigeria revealed that the proposed allocation will cover the rehabilitation of chanceries, ambassadors’ residences, and staff quarters, as well as the procurement of office furniture and official vehicles across Nigeria’s diplomatic posts worldwide. A breakdown of the proposal shows that N374 million was earmarked for Nigeria’s mission in Cairo, N380 million…

HUNDREDS of returning Nigerian pilgrims were stranded aboard a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, on Saturday after the aircraft was diverted from Kano due to adverse weather conditions, leaving passengers confined for over nine hours without food, water, and amid what passengers described as repeated excuses and poor communication. News Point Nigeria reports that the flight, which was scheduled to land at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) at about 1:00pm, was redirected to Abuja as a safety precaution following reports of severe weather conditions in Kano. Although the aircraft touched down…

THE Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee has issued a detailed response to observations made by global consultancy firm KPMG on Nigeria’s newly enacted tax laws, rejecting what it described as widespread misinterpretation, mischaracterisation of policy intent, and the presentation of preferences as factual errors. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria titled “Response to KPMG: Observations on Nigeria’s New Tax Laws,” the committee said while it welcomed constructive engagement and acknowledged that some of KPMG’s concerns particularly around implementation risks and clerical cross-referencing—were valid, the bulk of the firm’s analysis reflected a misunderstanding of deliberate policy choices…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima are expected to spend a combined total of ₦9.36 billion on local and international travels, as well as food and catering services, in the 2026 fiscal year, according to details contained in the proposed 2026 Appropriation Bill. The figures are contained in the budget documents released on Thursday by the Budget Office of the Federation sighted by News Point Nigeria, following the presentation of the ₦58.18 trillion budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly by President Tinubu on December 19, 2025. In his budget address, Tinubu said national…

IN a high-profile interview with The New York Times published on Thursday, United States President Donald Trump signalled that the United States could undertake multiple military strikes in Nigeria if the ongoing violence and killings continue unabated, a statement that has drawn international attention and sparked debate over foreign intervention in the country. News Point Nigeria reports that speaking about the December 25 US military operation against Islamic State-linked militants in northwest Nigeria, Trump said he hoped that the mission would be a “one-time strike,” but added that further action was likely if attacks if the violence persisted. “I’d love…

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that Nigeria’s labour movement was once deeply entangled in Cold War politics, with rival labour factions allegedly funded by the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Soviet Union’s KGB, a situation he said posed a serious threat to the country’s sovereignty. News Point Nigeria reports that Obasanjo made the disclosure in Abuja while speaking at the 85th birthday celebration and book launch of former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Hassan Sunmonu, an event that drew labour leaders, senior politicians, and civil society figures from across the country. According to the former president,…

BURKINA Faso’s military authorities have announced that they have foiled what they described as a sophisticated plot to assassinate the country’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, in a development that underscores the persistent instability gripping the West African nation. The alleged plot, according to the junta, was masterminded by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henri Damiba, the former military ruler who was overthrown by Traoré in September 2022. The revelation was made late Saturday night by the Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana, during a national television broadcast. Sana said intelligence agencies intercepted the operation at a critical stage, just hours before it was…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed all ministers and senior government officials to obtain presidential clearance before requesting police escorts for official assignments, as part of a broader effort to tighten security coordination and prevent gaps in public safety across the country. News Point Nigeria reports that the directive was issued on Wednesday during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja, amid heightened security concerns nationwide. Tinubu said the indiscriminate deployment of police personnel to VIP protection duties often weakens frontline policing and exposes communities to security risks when officers are withdrawn without adequate replacement. “I…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday extended warm birthday felicitations to Kano State Governor, Abba Kabiru Yusuf, praising his leadership qualities and developmental strides, in a message that comes amid heightened political tension and growing anticipation over the governor’s imminent defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Governor Yusuf, who turns 63, was originally expected to formally defect from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on Monday, January 5, 2026 his birthday, but the move has now been postponed to January 12, following fresh consultations with political stakeholders. In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and…

THE leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has issued a stern warning to Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf, urging him to relinquish the governorship seat if he intends to defect from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). News Point Nigeria reports that Kwankwaso made the declaration while addressing supporters and party stakeholders in Kano amid growing political tension and speculations that the NNPP-led government in the state may align with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking forcefully, the former governor questioned the rationale behind efforts to lure Kano’s governor away from…

A SHARP political confrontation erupted on Thursday as Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, traded strong accusations, further exposing the deepening divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Governor Mohammed, speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily monitored by News Point Nigeria, accused Wike of orchestrating a calculated plot to destroy his political career and personal integrity, alleging that the FCT minister was using political influence and federal institutions to undermine him. According to the Bauchi governor, efforts were being made to associate him with banditry and terrorism, allegations…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lauded Hadiza Bala-Usman, his Special Adviser on Policy Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU), for her outstanding contributions to public service as she marked her 50th birthday. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described Bala-Usman as a “dedicated patriot” whose nearly three decades of service have exemplified diligence, sacrifice, and commitment to national development. The President highlighted Bala-Usman’s early career at the Bureau of Public Enterprises, where she displayed exceptional clarity of vision and an acute…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that 2026 marks the beginning of a more robust phase of economic growth for Nigeria, expressing confidence that the reforms undertaken by his administration are beginning to yield tangible benefits for ordinary citizens. News Point Nigeria reports that in his New Year message to Nigerians on January 1, 2026, the President said the country closed 2025 on a strong economic footing despite persistent global economic headwinds, adding that his administration would consolidate gains already recorded while pursuing inclusive growth, improved security, and fiscal discipline. Welcoming Nigerians to the new year, Tinubu expressed gratitude to…

NO fewer than 10 Nigerian states are planning to raise about ₦4.287 trillion from loans, bonds, grants, capital receipts, and public-private partnerships to finance capital projects contained in their 2026 budgets, underscoring growing fiscal pressure at the subnational level. News Point Nigeria reports that the states; Lagos, Abia, Ogun, Enugu, Osun, Delta, Sokoto, Edo, Bayelsa, and Gombe have jointly presented ₦14.174 trillion in proposed spending to their respective Houses of Assembly, according to an analysis of budget documents. Findings show that despite continued reliance on statutory allocations from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), value-added tax receipts, and internally generated…

THE New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has been plunged into fresh internal turmoil in Kano State following the sack and expulsion of the party’s State Chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa, by executives of Gargari Ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area. News Point Nigeria reports that the decision was reached during the ward’s second executive meeting, held about two weeks after the general election, where 27 ward executives unanimously signed a resolution endorsing Dungurawa’s removal. The meeting was presided over by the Ward Chairman, Shuaibu Hassan, alongside the ward secretary, Yahaya Saidu Dungurawa. According to the resolution sighted by this newspaper, Dungurawa…

FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned of an impending constitutional crisis following revelations that the gazetted version of Nigeria’s recently enacted tax laws does not reflect what was actually passed by the National Assembly. Atiku described the development as illegal, unconstitutional, and tantamount to forgery, insisting that any law gazetted in a form different from what lawmakers approved is a nullity and has no legal force. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by Atiku’s Media Aide, Paul Ibe late on Sunday, the former presidential candidate said the confirmation by the Senate that discrepancies exist between the passed…