Author: Farouk Abbas

AN independent investigative panel established by the Federal Government to probe allegations of corruption and human rights violations within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has uncovered widespread inmate malnutrition, alleged abuses in the administration of feeding contracts, and institutional practices contributing to prison overcrowding. The findings were contained in the panel’s final report submitted to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on June 3, 2026. The report, sighted by News Point Nigeria on Tuesday through the Ministry of Interior’s website, recommended an immediate increase in the daily feeding allowance for inmates from N750 to N3,000. The panel, which was…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu will deliver a national address on Friday, June 12, as part of activities marking Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration. The announcement was made in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. According to the statement, the Democracy Day broadcast is scheduled to air at 7:00 a.m. on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). The Presidency said the nationwide address will form part of events commemorating Democracy Day, observed annually on June 12 to…

BADAMASI S. Burji, GMD/CEO of First Class Refreshments Limited (FCR Food), has been named winner of The Sun Industrialist of the Year Award 2026 by The Sun Publishing Limited. In a June 9, 2026 letter, The Sun’s Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, said the award recognizes Dr. Burji’s contributions to manufacturing, food processing, export development, job creation, and the promotion of indigenous industries. T he company was praised for transforming traditional Nigerian products like kilishi, kuli-kuli, kunu, zobo, and 22 varieties of Ghal-Burj Golden Tea and Coffee into standardized brands that meet modern and international quality standards. The Sun noted…

THE Federal Government has declared Friday a public holiday to commemorate Nigeria’s 27 years of unbroken democratic rule. The announcement was contained in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Magdalene Ajani. Ajani stated that the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government. Tunji-Ojo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the preservation of democratic ideals, including the rule of law, transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance. He assured that the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, would continue…

A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has adjourned further hearing in the post-conviction proceedings in the ₦33.8 billion case involving former Power Minister, Saleh Mamman, to June 24. News Point Nigeria reports that the court’s schedule, Mamman’s lawyer, Mohammed Ahmed, is expected to appear to clarify aspects of an affidavit he filed in which he allegedly made claims against the trial judge. The Wednesday adjournment followed submissions by another defence lawyer, Suleiman Yakubu, who informed the court that Ahmed was indisposed and unable to attend proceedings. Mamman was previously convicted on May 7 on all counts in a 12-count charge…

A POPULAR Islamic cleric and member of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah wa Ikamatis-Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Muhammad Maibarga, has died in bandits’ captivity after being abducted in Kebbi State. News Point Nigeria reports that the late cleric was kidnapped alongside his friend, a former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Koko/Besse Local Government Area of the state, in an incident that sparked concern among residents and members of the Islamic community. His death was confirmed on Wednesday amid reports that family members and associates were making frantic efforts to secure his release from captivity. A video allegedly released by the…

THE Minister of Works, David Umahi, has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to contractors handling the rehabilitation of the Abuja-Lokoja highway to fully mobilise to the site or face possible prosecution by anti-graft and law enforcement agencies. Umahi warned that contractors who have received government funds but failed to deliver on their obligations would no longer be tolerated. “If you are holding the money of the Federal Government, you have to bring it out and do the job, or we start going to the police and the EFCC,” the minister said. According to a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by…

THE Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has disclosed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was among political leaders who supported the adoption of rotational presidency in Nigeria following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. According to Akume, the annulment of the historic election, widely believed to have been won by the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, compelled political leaders to make difficult decisions aimed at preserving national unity and strengthening the country’s democratic foundation. A statement sent to News Point Nigeria by his media aide, Yomi Odunuga, said the SGF made the clarification…

THE Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has revealed plans to sponsor a bill seeking to introduce a single six-year tenure for presidents and governors after the 2027 general elections. News Point Nigeria reports that Bamidele said the proposed legislation would rank among the first set of bills he intends to introduce when the next Senate is inaugurated, arguing that such a reform would allow elected leaders to concentrate fully on governance rather than spending valuable time preparing for re-election campaigns. Speaking with journalists in his office on Tuesday, the lawmaker expressed concern that the current two-term arrangement often forces officeholders to…

THE Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has declared unlawful the National Assembly’s controversial N110 billion expenditure on vehicles and allowances for lawmakers, ruling that the spending violated procurement laws, constitutional provisions and the principles of public accountability. News Point Nigeria reports that the court specifically held that the allocation of N40 billion for the procurement of 465 vehicles for members of the National Assembly, alongside N70 billion in support allowances for newly elected lawmakers, breached statutory procurement standards and undermined public trust. The court also directed the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House…

THE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, has defended the billings for data by the country’s network providers, saying they are some of the cheapest in the world. News Point Nigeria reports that the Network providers in the country have taken the stick in recent times for what some customers claim is a high cost for mobile data. However, Toriola says that is not the case, arguing that Nigeria has one of the cheapest costs for data. “Influencers and critics, look at the price at which we sell bundles of data. Then now take that price, go…

THE Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to commence the implementation of a national framework for the protection of healthcare workers, following what it described as a growing wave of attacks on medical personnel across the country. News Point Nigeria reports that the association also declared an industrial dispute with the government over 14 unresolved demands affecting the health sector, warning that failure to address the issues within the stipulated period could threaten industrial harmony nationwide. NARD issued the ultimatum during a press briefing at the conclusion of its Ordinary General…

MAJOR General Abubakar Rabe (retd) and his wife, who were abducted along the Karaduwa–Matazu Road in Katsina State exactly one week ago, have appealed to the government to come to their aid after their captors released a video showing them in captivity. News Point Nigeria reports that the video, which has been circulating on social media, showed the retired army officer and his wife standing and relaying the demands of their abductors. In the four-minute, two-second footage, the couple appeared calm as they appealed for intervention to secure their release. Speaking in the video, the wife of the retired military…

OPERATIVES of the Department of State Services, working in collaboration with forest guards, have intercepted a consignment of medical supplies allegedly intended for fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province in Borno State. News Point Nigeria reports that the interception was said to have taken place on Friday during a coordinated security operation in Kaga Local Government Area of the state, according to a report by Zagazola Makama, a publication focused on security and counter-insurgency developments in the Lake Chad region. Citing security sources, the publication reported that the operation targeted a suspected supply route allegedly used by insurgent…

THE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has approved a special compensation package for Band A electricity customers who suffered blackouts and inadequate power supply due to generation constraints between February and March 2026. News Point Nigeria reports that the regulator said the intervention became necessary following significant generation shortfalls across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), which prevented Distribution Companies (DisCos) from meeting their committed service levels to some Band A customers during the period. According to NERC, the power supply disruptions were largely caused by inadequate gas supply to electricity generation companies and the vandalism of critical gas and…

HEAVY security was deployed around the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday as human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, led protesters toward the seat of power over the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo and Borno states. News Point Nigeria reports that the protest, organised under the banner of the AAC and its affiliated Take It Back Movement, came amid growing public outrage over the May 15, 2026 kidnappings of dozens of pupils and teachers in Oyo and Borno states. Protesters demanded the immediate rescue of all victims and called on…

AS political consultations ahead of the next electoral cycle gather momentum, Professor Festus Uwakhemen Asikhia has intensified moves toward securing the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) ticket for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senate seat, positioning himself as a candidate determined to bring private-sector efficiency, academic excellence and governance expertise into public office. The renowned entrepreneur, governance specialist and scholar recently held strategic discussions with the leadership of the Zenith Labour Party in Abuja, a development widely interpreted by political observers as a major step toward clinching the party’s senatorial nomination. The engagement has further heightened interest in Asikhia’s political aspirations,…

THE Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned a suit challenging the emergence of the interim leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by former Senate President, David Mark, to June 8 for hearing. News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Peter Lifu fixed the new date after counsel to the plaintiff, Robert Emukpoeruo (SAN), requested additional time following the absence of lawyers representing parties seeking to be joined in the suit. The case was instituted by Mr. Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the ADC, who is contesting the legality of the party’s current leadership structure.…

THE number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria’s Northwest geopolitical zone increased by 143,189 within six months, representing a 22 per cent rise, according to the latest data obtained from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The figures, published in late May 2026 through the UNHCR Nigeria Forcibly Displaced Populations dashboard, showed that the Northwest’s IDP population climbed from 650,345 recorded in December 2025 to 793,534 by May 2026. According to the data obtained by News Point Nigeria, the sharp increase was driven largely by a dramatic rise in the number of displaced persons in Sokoto State,…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced an investigation into allegations of unauthorised access to its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database following the publication of information relating to a candidate who participated in a recent political party primary election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The commission disclosed this in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Tuesday by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, who said INEC was treating the matter with the utmost seriousness. According to the statement, the commission became aware of allegations circulating on social media…