Author: Farouk Abbas

THE Chairman of Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Hussaini Aliyu, has dismissed claims by a U.S. lawmaker, Riley Moore, suggesting that the abduction of 25 female students from Government Secondary School, Maga, occurred in a Christian community. Aliyu, in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Wednesday, said the claim was false, misleading, and capable of inflaming religious tensions in the country. He stressed that all the abducted schoolgirls are Muslims, contrary to the narrative being circulated by the American politician. The local government chairman urged Moore to stop making statements without verification, especially on sensitive national…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dispatched Vice President Kashim Shettima to Kebbi State to commiserate with the government and families of students abducted from a boarding school in Maga, even as he assured anxious parents that the Federal Government is committed to securing the schoolgirls’ safe and swift return. The President’s directive follows the devastating abduction carried out by bandits, who stormed the community despite earlier intelligence alerts warning of a possible attack. The incident has triggered nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over the safety of schools in vulnerable regions. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Tuesday…

THE Federal Capital Territory Police Command has dismissed reports claiming that a Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Abuja, describing the circulating story as false, misleading, and capable of inciting public panic. News Point Nigeria reports that the claims, which spread widely across blogs and social media platforms over the weekend, alleged that Yerima was pursued by two unmarked black Hilux vans without number plates on Saturday evening. According to the unverified reports, the purported chase began around 6:30pm near the NIPCO filling station along the Kubwa Expressway and continued through Gado Nasco Way…

THE Nigeria Police Force has detained Alwan Hassan, convener of the Grassroots Initiative Concept and former presidential aide, days after he publicly accused Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin of blocking the confirmation of Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). Hassan was taken into custody at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja on Friday after honouring a police invitation. Sources told News Point Nigeria that he arrived at the facility in the afternoon but was not released as of the time this report was filed. Details of the petition or allegations that triggered…

FORMER Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has insisted that he will not attend the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention scheduled for November 15 in Ibadan, declaring that doing so would amount to renouncing his recently restored legal rights and dignity. Lamido, speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today monitored by News Point Nigeria, said he approached the court to reclaim his constitutional right to contest for leadership positions within the party after he was blocked from obtaining the nomination form for national chairman. According to him, the suit was not a battle against the PDP but…

MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has explained his recent confrontation with a naval officer at a disputed plot of land in Abuja, saying his intervention was necessary to protect government officials performing their lawful duties. Speaking during a briefing with journalists on Thursday ahead of the FCT Executive Council meeting, Wike faulted the alleged deployment of serving naval officers to guard a property linked to a retired Chief of Naval Staff, describing the act as “audacious and unacceptable.” The altercation reportedly occurred on Tuesday at Gaduwa District, where officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA)…

THE Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Thursday said it is no longer considering implementing the planned 15 per cent duty on imported petroleum products. The development was announced by the Director, Public Affairs Department, NMDPRA, George Ene-Ita, in a statement while warning the public to shun panic buying. President Bola Tinubu, on the 29th of October, approved an import tariff on petrol and diesel, a policy expected to raise the landing cost of imported fuel. The President’s approval was conveyed in a letter signed by his Private Secretary, Damilotun Aderemi, following a proposal submitted by the…

THE Senate has rejected the explanations provided by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) regarding the ₦210 trillion outstanding against the oil firm. It came to the conclusion on Wednesday that the money, which had not been accounted for, must be refunded to the Federation Account by the company. The Senate Committee on Public Accounts chaired by Aliyu Wadada, which has been on the probe for months, took the decision on Tuesday after the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari, failed to turn up at its resumed sitting at the National Assembly. The session was…

JUSTICE Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, on Tuesday, adjourned the alleged money laundering trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to January 29, 30 and February 4 and 5, continuation of trial. The matter was adjourned to allow the prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, conclude the examination of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s seventh witness. When the matter was called for continuation of trial, the Prosecution sought to tender documents marked as Exhibits 33 (1–11) and 34, while leading the witness, Olomotame Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, in evidence. But Defence…

THE Federal Government is holding talks with authorities of the United States over the military threat by US President Donald Trump. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this during an interview on Sky News. He revealed that diplomatic channels are proving effective towards rapprochement in the tense relationship between the government of the United States and Nigeria. “Channels of communication have been opened. I can confirm that we are talking with them, and I think they are understanding the situation better,” Idris said. “We believe that most of the information is a result of a lack…

THE Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its counterterrorism efforts with a series of coordinated precision airstrikes that have neutralised several fighters of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and destroyed multiple bandit hideouts across northern Nigeria. The latest operations, conducted on November 9, targeted insurgent strongholds in the Northern Tumbuns around Mallam Fatori and Shuwaram in Borno State, while simultaneous interdictions were executed on bandit camps in Garin Dandi and Chigogo in Kwara State, as well as Zango Hill in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State. A statement sent to News Point Nigeria by the Director…

THE fourth prosecution witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the alleged money laundering trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has re-affirmed that fund withdrawals by the state government did not breach any banking law. During cross-examination before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court on Monday, Mshelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, also reiterated that the name of the former governor did not appear as beneficiary in the account presented as evidence. The Defence Counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, drew the witness’ attention to certain withdrawals by one Umar…

THE Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has laid off about 800 employees in one of the biggest retrenchment exercises in Nigeria’s power sector in recent years, a move coming at a time millions of households are grappling with worsening electricity supply, inflation, and high energy tariffs. The sack letters, one of which was obtained by News Point Nigeria, were issued on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, after months of internal restructuring by the utility firm responsible for electricity distribution across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as Kogi, Niger and Nasarawa States. Reliable company sources told our correspondent that the…

THE Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, says the country will support Nigeria’s fight against terrorism but faulted the interference of foreigners.  News Point Nigeria reports that  Dunhai, in a post on his X handle, pledged the support of the Asian country to Nigeria’s battle against insurgency following a meeting with the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.  “As a comprehensive strategic partner of Nigeria, China firmly supports the Nigerian government in leading its people to a development path that fits Nigeria’s national realities,” the Chinese ambassador wrote on Thursday.  “We oppose any country’s interference in other countries’ internal affairs…

THE Federal High Court, Lagos, has restrained the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and other security agencies from arresting human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore. It also restrained them from intimidating or declaring the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) wanted. News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Musa Kakaki’s order followed an application filed by Sowore after reports surfaced that the Lagos State Police Command had allegedly declared him wanted in connection with unspecified allegations. In the ruling, the judge granted an interim injunction restraining the respondents, particularly the Commissioner of Police, from “harassing, intimidating, threatening with arrest,…

THE Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, on Wednesday summoned all air component commanders of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to a high-level operational meeting at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, issuing fresh directives to escalate air offensives against terrorists and armed criminal groups nationwide. News Point Nigeria gathered that the strategic session, held behind closed doors, comes amid renewed militant activities in some theatres of operation and the ongoing push by security forces to restore stability across troubled regions. Addressing journalists after the meeting, NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the gathering was convened to reassess…

IN a landmark policy shift, the Federal Government has announced that Mathematics will no longer be a compulsory requirement for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions to study courses in the Arts and Humanities. The Federal Ministry of Education made the announcement on Tuesday, saying the decision was part of a broader reform to eliminate unnecessary barriers to higher education while maintaining academic standards. For decades, candidates in Arts and Humanities like their counterparts in the Sciences and Social Sciences were required to secure at least five credit passes, including English Language and Mathematics, in their Senior School Certificate Examination…

THE Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman Pakistan, is alleged to have launched a vicious social media attacks on the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima as EFCC deepens fraud investigations. Credible sources have confirmed to this newspaper that Mr Pakistan is allegedly personally directing and coordinating the attacks on the VP’s office through many social media warriors and influencers majorly from Kano. The social media warriors, popularly known as “sojojin baka” in Hausa, have launched series of unprovoked attacks on Vice President Kashim Shettima and his top aides…

THE Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed October 16 to rule on whether the Managing Director of SunTrust Bank, Halima Buba, can cross-examine a prosecution witness presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an ongoing $12 million money laundering trial. News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the case for ruling following a heated legal argument between the prosecution and defence counsels over the propriety of certain questions posed to the EFCC’s first witness, Mr. Suleiman Ciroma, during cross-examination. During the session, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, counsel to the EFCC, raised an objection to…

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has dismissed the Federal Government’s directive enforcing the “No Work, No Pay” policy on striking lecturers, vowing that no amount of intimidation or coercion will force the union to back down. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, ASUU President, Dr. Chris Piwuna monitored by News Point Nigeria, said the union remains resolute and will not yield to what he described as the government’s “divide-and-rule tactics” aimed at weakening the academic community’s collective voice. “We don’t respond to threats, and nobody can threaten us,” Piwuna declared confidently, underscoring ASUU’s defiance in the…