Author: Sadiq Abdullateef

THE Nigerian Armed Forces have firmly distanced themselves from allegations that they provide financial incentives to armed bandits, insisting that no payment of ransom or monthly allowance forms part of their counter-insurgency strategy. The Chief of Defence Operations, Major General Emeka Onumajuru, made this clarification on Tuesday during an appearance on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme monitored by News Point Nigeria. He stressed that experience had shown that paying money to criminal groups only emboldens them rather than curtailing their activities. “The armed forces of Nigeria do not support the payment of money to criminal groups. We are not…

NIGERIANS have lost significant faith in some of their most important public institutions, with the police, the presidency, and the federal government ranking among the least trusted, according to a new national survey released by Chatham House in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The survey obtained by News Point Nigeria, published under the Social Norms and Accountable Governance Project, examined how institutional trust or the lack of it shapes governance and accountability across countries. Findings from the report paint a sobering picture of public perception in Africa’s most populous nation. Nearly 46 per cent of Nigerians said…

NIGERIA’s embassies and consular missions abroad are facing mounting financial distress, with staff salaries, allowances, and office rents left unpaid for months, News Point Nigeria gathered. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the development on Monday, attributing the crisis to persistent budgetary shortfalls and the impact of recent foreign exchange policy reforms. In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the ministry acknowledged that the situation had strained the smooth functioning of several missions, leaving them unable to meet key obligations to their staff and service providers. “The ministry is not unaware of the restrictions that financial limitations have…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to Vice President Kashim Shettima on the occasion of his 59th birthday, describing him as a loyal partner, dependable ally, and a competent leader whose service to Nigeria has remained remarkable. In a statement personally issued by the President and released on Tuesday through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga made avaialble to News Point Nigeria, Tinubu said he had “made no mistake” in choosing Shettima as his running mate and eventual deputy. “Today, September 2, 2025, presents me with another unique opportunity to celebrate you, my brother, partner,…

A VIRAL claim circulating across Nigerian media and social platforms suggests that “one in four fathers in Nigeria is unknowingly raising a child that is not theirs biologically.” The claim cites a 2025 annual report from Smart DNA Nigeria, a Lagos-based laboratory specializing in genetic testing. A close examination of the report and expert analysis by News Point Nigeria, however, reveals that the claim is misleading. The Claim Social media posts and some newspaper headlines such as Vanguard’s “1 in 4 Nigerian Fathers Not Biological Parents” argue that 25% of Nigerian men are unknowingly raising non-biological children. The statistic was…

THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), cautioning that the party risks self-destruction if it attempts to reintegrate former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Speaking during a live media chat on Monday, the former Rivers State governor accused the PDP of repeating errors that cost it dearly in the 2023 general elections, insisting that the opposition must embrace equity and justice if it hopes to regain national relevance ahead of the 2027 polls. Wike recalled how he and other aggrieved party leaders had raised alarms prior…

A FIERCE war of words has erupted between former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) over the federal government’s approach to tackling banditry and insecurity in northern Nigeria. El-Rufai, speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics monitored by News Point Nigeria, accused the government of “empowering bandits” instead of defeating them. According to him, the Tinubu administration is allegedly running a “kiss-the-bandits” policy that pays criminal gangs allowances and supplies them with food under the guise of non-kinetic engagement. “What I will not do is to pay bandits, give them a monthly allowance,…

A NEW book has shed fresh light on the behind-the-scenes tensions between former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, and the Department of State Services (DSS) over the continued detention of human rights activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore, despite repeated court orders for his release. The revelations are contained in “I Write What I Like”, a newly published work by veteran journalist and rights advocate, Richard Akinnola sighted by News Point Nigeria. The 198-page book, comprising twenty chapters, is a compilation of Akinnola’s widely followed Facebook essays spanning from 2017 to 2025. According to Akinnola, the confrontation came to a head…

THE Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, justice, and inclusivity in the distribution of national resources, insisting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has treated all regions of Nigeria equitably in both appointments and infrastructure development. News Point Nigeria reports that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this in Abuja while reacting to recent claims that certain parts of the country were being sidelined in federal allocations and appointments. Idris emphasized that President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda was anchored on balanced development and inclusivity, stressing that verifiable data shows equitable distribution of projects across…

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has exposed a sprawling drug trafficking cartel operating within Nigeria’s aviation sector, accused of planting narcotics on unsuspecting pilgrims and implicating them abroad. The shocking revelations come days after three innocent Nigerian pilgrims, Mrs. Maryam Hussain Abdullahi, Mrs. Abdullahi Bahijja Aminu, and Abdulhamid Sadiq were detained in Saudi Arabia on allegations of drug trafficking. Their ordeal has thrown Nigeria’s aviation industry into fresh controversy, sparking outrage, fear, and renewed calls for urgent reform. According to NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the pilgrims boarded Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET940 from Kano to…

PROMINENT African investor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Tony Elumelu, has opened up about the defining moment in his career when he was appointed a bank branch manager at just 27 years old, an opportunity he says changed the trajectory of his life and ignited his lifelong commitment to youth empowerment. In a post shared on his LinkedIn page on Friday cited by News Point Nigeria, the Chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa (UBA) recalled how his appointment at AllStates Trust Bank was met with skepticism, as many doubted a young professional could handle such a responsibility. “When I…

FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has denied reports suggesting that he has abandoned plans to contest the 2027 presidential election, describing the publication as false and misleading. The denial followed claims in a report by Newsweek Nigeria that Jonathan had opted not to pursue a second-term ambition so as not to disrupt Southern unity ahead of the polls. Although the former president has not formally declared his candidacy, strong indications point to ongoing nationwide consultations with political stakeholders as part of moves to actualise a potential comeback bid. On Friday afternoon, Jonathan’s cousin, Azibaola Robert, debunked the report in a statement…

THE Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has spent more than N14 billion feeding inmates awaiting trial in the country’s custodial centres between January and August 2025, findings have revealed. An analysis of inmate records obtained by News Point Nigeria showed a steady rise in the number of persons held without trial during the period under review. In January, there were 48,932 awaiting-trial inmates. By the end of February, the figure had increased to 52,771, and further climbed to 53,254 in March. The number slightly dipped to 52,937 in April, but rose again in June to 53,178, before reaching 53,473 by July.…

FORMER Minister of Transportation and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has declared that he will not withdraw from the race for the 2027 presidency, insisting that he is prepared to challenge President Bola Tinubu at the polls. Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State, made this known on Thursday in Kano while addressing journalists after a meeting with a coalition of traders. In a separate interview with the BBC Hausa Service, monitored by News Point Nigeria, Amaechi was emphatic about his political ambition. “I will contest the ADC presidential primary, and by God’s grace, I…

THE Federal Government has announced plans to end the misuse of police and other security operatives by Very Important Persons (VIPs), warning that elite protection can no longer continue at the expense of Nigeria’s collective security. News Point Nigeria reports that the declaration was made by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit (CDCU), Hadiza Bala-Usman, on Thursday at the Ministry of Interior’s performance retreat in Abuja. Bala-Usman expressed deep concern over the diversion of police officers and specialised squads from their statutory responsibilities to serve as escorts for…

THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explain what it described as “statistically implausible” figures in its first-week report on new Permanent Voter Card (PVC) pre-registrations, particularly in the South West. In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi made available to News Point Nigeria, the ADC expressed deep concern that the data, if not clarified, could erode public trust in the country’s electoral process. According to INEC’s report, Osun State alone recorded 393,269 pre-registrations in just one week. The ADC argued that this figure…

THE Federal Government has released a comprehensive list of 30 countries currently connected to Nigeria by direct flights, with a new route to Brazil set to commence soon. The data, compiled by Statisense from aviation tracker FlightConnections obtained by News Point Nigeria, underscores Nigeria’s growing role as a regional aviation hub, linking West Africa to key destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Nigeria’s international connectivity is anchored on five major airports: Lagos (Murtala Muhammed International Airport) Abuja (Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport) Port Harcourt International Airport Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Enugu International Airport Of these, Lagos and Abuja…

THE National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed him to maintain close collaboration with his predecessor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, in the interest of party cohesion and stability. News Point Nigeria reports that Yilwatda made the disclosure on Wednesday when Ganduje paid him a condolence visit over the passing of his mother. He emphasized that despite succeeding Ganduje, the former chairman’s guidance and political experience would be invaluable to the success of his tenure. “His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked me to work with you, to…

THE Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has dismissed reports alleging that its officers were being compelled to pay as much as ₦350,000 for the issuance of training certificates. In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday made available to News Point Nigeria, the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Umar, described the claims, published by an online newspaper (Not News Point Nigeria}, as false, misleading, and designed to tarnish the image of the institution. “The allegation that officers are forced to pay ₦350,000 for training certification is completely baseless. At no point has the Service authorised or permitted such payments,” Umar said.…

NIGERIA’s insecurity crisis has birthed what analysts now describe as a “ransom economy,” where kidnap-for-ransom operations have grown into a structured, profit-driven industry competing directly with legitimate business activities. A new report by SBM Intelligence covering the period between July 2024 and June 2025 sighted by News Point Nigeria reveals that at least 4,722 people were abducted in 997 incidents nationwide, with kidnappers demanding nearly ₦48billion and collecting confirmed ransom payments of ₦2.57 billion ($1.66 million). The think tank warns that ransom payments are not only eroding household incomes but also crippling business confidence, raising costs, and stunting investment across…