JUSTICE James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced four Boko Haram terrorists to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to charges brought by the Federal Government. News Point Nigeria reports that a witness from the Department of State Services (DSS) also gave evidence during the trial. Justice Omotosho additionally convicted 14 other suspects, handing down prison terms ranging from 20 to 25 years on various counts filed against them. The Federal Government was represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, supported by lawyers including Rotimi Oyedepo. Confessional statements of the convicts…
Author: Farouk Abbas
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PROMINENT members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday led the “Save Nigeria Democracy” protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). News Point Nigeria reports that several chieftains of the party, including Peter Obi; ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar; a former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi; ex-governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso; a former Senate President, David Mark; ex-Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, and a former Sokoto governor, Aminu Tambuwal, among others, are present as the protesters march through the streets of Abuja. Hundreds of their supporters and members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement also attended…
VICE President Kashim Shettima has reassured Nigerians that the security challenges facing the country would be surmounted. News Point Nigeria reports that speaking at the 2026 National Police Day Grand Parade and Procession in Abuja on Tuesday, Shettima said Nigeria shall prevail. “Our institutions reformed, and our people are reunited. The road ahead may be long, but this nation is not stranded. So long as duties still answer when distress calls, and so long as we continue to choose reform over our nation, Nigeria shall continue to prevail,” he said. “As we celebrate the National Police Day, let it be…
THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has denied issuing any threat to Channels Television anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, insisting that his controversial remark was merely figurative and never intended to be taken literally. News Point Nigeria reports that Wike made the clarification on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the management and staff of Daar Communications, stating that his earlier comment had been widely misinterpreted and taken out of context. Reflecting on the incident, the minister expressed frustration over how his remarks were perceived, noting that people often “capitalise on things” without considering the full context. “You can imagine…
AS preparations gradually intensify for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, the Federal Government has proposed a substantial sum of N135.22 billion in the 2026 budget to address election-related disputes and post-election obligations. News Point Nigeria reports that the allocation, described as funding for “Electoral Adjudication and Post Election Provision,” signals a growing recognition of the financial burden that legal battles and administrative processes often impose on the country’s electoral cycle. Details of the provision were contained in the House of Representatives Order Paper dated March 31, 2026, which included the report on the 2026 Appropriation Bill. The document, reviewed by News…
THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised fresh concerns over its participation in the 2027 general elections, warning that recent actions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could effectively shut the party out of the electoral process. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party accused INEC of refusing to receive its official correspondence, a development it said has made it nearly impossible to fulfil key legal requirements ahead of crucial deadlines. According to the ADC, INEC’s position has created a procedural bottleneck, preventing the party from meeting statutory obligations…
RESIDENTS of Arikon community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State have strongly refuted claims by the Nigerian Army that dozens of worshippers abducted during a deadly Easter attack have been rescued, insisting that all victims remain in captivity. News Point Nigeria reports that the development follows the violent invasion of a branch of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), where armed bandits stormed a church service, killing five worshippers and abducting several others, sparking outrage and renewed concerns over insecurity in the region. In a statement issued earlier, the Nigerian Army said its troops responded swiftly to a…
FORMER Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has revealed how the Federal Government uncovered widespread payroll fraud, identifying no fewer than 45,000 “ghost workers” through the integration of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) system. News Point Nigeria reports that Adeosun made the disclosure while speaking at the Citadel School of Government Dialogue Series in Lagos, where she detailed how technology was deployed to address long-standing inefficiencies in the federal payroll system. According to her, prior to the reforms, personnel costs constituted the largest component of government expenditure, plagued by systemic loopholes that had resisted earlier attempts at clean-up. “The payroll was…
FORMER Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has enlisted the services of a Washington-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York L.C., in a move aimed at strengthening his reputational standing and political positioning within the United States. News Point Nigeria reports that documents filed with the U.S. Department of Justice reveal that the agreement was executed on March 9 and 10, 2026. The contract was signed by the firm’s managing partner, Karl Von Batten, and Nigerian politician Fabiyi Oladimeji, acting on behalf of Atiku. According to filings obtained from the DOJ’s official website, the engagement is designed to shape perceptions of the former vice-president within…
SUSPECTED bandits have invaded Ariko community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, targeting two Christian worship centres during Easter celebrations, killing at least seven persons and abducting several others. News Point Nigeria reports that the incident, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, threw the community into panic. The councillor representing Awon Ward, under which Ariko District falls, Mark Bawa, confirmed the attack to News Point Nigeria on Sunday via phone call. According to him, the affected churches are First ECWA Church and St. Augustine Catholic Church, both located in Ariko. “I am currently on my way…
OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a sophisticated international drug trafficking operation in which cocaine was concealed in tins of palm kernel oil bound for the United Kingdom. News Point Nigeria reports that the discovery, which followed a three-week intelligence-led operation, led to the dismantling of the syndicate, the arrest of its kingpin, and the recovery of critical evidence, including hundreds of modified tins prepared for drug concealment. ”The breakthrough came on March 11, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, where NDLEA officers intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside tins of…
FORMER Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has declared his readiness to support whoever emerges as the party’s flagbearer in the 2027 presidential election. News Point Nigeria reports that Atiku also dismissed claims that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could undermine the ADC, noting that the party has continued to attract members nationwide. The INEC had, on Wednesday, said it would cease further communication with all the leadership of the ADC and would not monitor the national convention of party slated for April 14. The electoral body based its action on a court ruling,…
THE Chief of Staff to the Zamfara State Governor, Mouktar Lugga, narrowly escaped an attack by gunmen along the Gusau–Funtua highway on Thursday evening, with no casualties recorded. News Point Nigeria reports that the incident occurred at about 6:00pm near Kucheri village in Tsafe Local Government Area, when armed assailants reportedly emerged from both sides of the road and opened fire on the convoy conveying the senior government official. During the ambush, a bullet pierced the vehicle’s windscreen, narrowly missing the driver. Another attacker’s weapon was also said to have malfunctioned at close range. Despite the intensity of the attack,…
THE Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has stepped down from her position, News Point Nigeria reports. She became the third cabinet member to resign following President Bola Tinubu’s directive for appointees seeking elective office in 2027 to vacate their positions. She announced her resignation on Friday through a letter shared on her social media platforms, three days after the March 31 deadline set by the president. Onyejeocha, however, did not disclose the elective position she intends to contest in 2027. She wrote, “It is with a heart full of gratitude that I announce my resignation as…
THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared its intention to proceed with its scheduled congresses and national convention, openly rejecting warnings issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan. News Point Nigeria reports that the development marks a deepening standoff between the opposition party and the electoral body over the interpretation of a subsisting court order and the extent of INEC’s regulatory authority. INEC Chairman Amupitan had, during an interview on Arise News, cautioned the party against proceeding with its planned activities, warning that doing so could violate existing court directives and potentially invalidate…
THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has warned the African Democratic Congress against holding its planned congresses and national convention without the commission’s oversight. News Point Nigeria reports that Amupitan issued the warning on Friday during an interview on Arise TV, after the party indicated it would proceed with its convention despite INEC’s derecognition of the leadership linked to former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola. He said such a move could attract grave legal consequences. He noted that the commission’s decision was anchored on a subsisting court order, not arbitrary…
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the 57 properties allegedly linked to Abubakar Malami, SAN, former Minister of Justice, should be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government. The EFCC, in a motion on notice for final forfeiture of the property filed by its team of lawyers led by Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, and Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, told Justice Joyce Abdulmalik that the respondents had failed to place sufficient evidence before the court to warrant the court to vacate the earlier interim order. News Point Nigeria reports that the motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026,…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has firmly dismissed growing calls for the removal of its Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, insisting that such demands are unconstitutional and a threat to the independence of Nigeria’s electoral system. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, on Thursday in Abuja, the Commission said recent criticisms by political actors accusing it of partisanship were misplaced, stressing that its actions were strictly guided by the law and judicial pronouncements. INEC maintained that the appointment, tenure, and removal of its chairman and national…
THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised serious concerns over what it described as a calculated attempt to impose a one-party state in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly using the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to weaken opposition parties. News Point Nigeria reports that addressing journalists on Thursday at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, the ADC National Chairman, David Mark, strongly criticised INEC’s recent actions, describing them as partisan and dangerous for Nigeria’s democracy. Mark also called for the immediate removal of the INEC Chairman, Amupitan Joash, alleging bias…
SCORES of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly on Wednesday, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials. News Point Nigeria reports that the visibly distraught protesters gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moving in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.” Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their fathers, many of whom…