Author: Farouk Abbas

SOME unknown gunmen have reportedly shot dead a middle-aged man, identified as Khalid Bichi, in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday night. Bichi, said to be an employee of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, was reportedly killed by his attackers just before 9 pm while he was out to get food, the Guardian reports. He was reportedly shot multiple times. He was afterwards rushed to Maitama General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. According to sources, Bichi was known for being active on social media with the username @Khalid Bichi and had connections with influential politicians. The deceased will be laid to…

THE Nigeria Police Force has insisted that the arrest of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) reporter, Mr Daniel Ojukwu, is in strict compliance with legal protocols and procedures. Ojukwu, who spent 10 days in police custody, was arrested for allegedly violating the country’s Cybercrime Act, often criticized as a tool for censorship. The journalist’s arrest and subsequent transfer to the Nigerian capital of Abuja followed his report about alleged financial mismanagement of over N147 million ($104,600) involving a senior government official, according to his employer. His arrest was followed by calls from his colleagues, civil society organisations and others,…

– Adjourns To June 13, 2024 For Arraignment A FEDERAL High Court, Abuja, on Friday granted the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the former Governor of Kogi, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to appear in court for his trial. Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling, held that even if the arrest warrant was illegally obtained, the defendant (Bello) should have still shown up in court. The judge had, on April 23, fixed today (May 10) for the ruling on the ex-governor’s application to set aside the arrest warrant against him. The judge had on, April 17, issued…

FOLLOWING report of gunmen attack on the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Okene, the Kogi State Government has assured the students, parents and the good people of the state that the it is on top of the situation. The govt gave the assurance in a press statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, made available to News Point Nigeria, Friday. According to the statement, immediately the report was received, the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo activated the security architecture to track the kidnappers and ensure the abducted students are rescued and…

SOME members of the All Progressives Congress under the umbrella of Southwest Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Supporters Movement have called on President Bola Tinubu not to delay in sacking some of his appointees who have allegedly been plotting his political downfall for their selfish interests. Addressing a press conference on Thursday in Lagos, the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential supporters condemned, in its entirety, the development which they described as “satanic agenda”, and called on President Tinubu and the APC leadership to immediately arrest the situation and ensure that the party is not hijacked by a disloyal few. They also vowed to expose those scheming…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, Thursday. According to the statement, Engr. Woke is a seasoned engineer and politician. He had served as Chairman of Emohua local government area of Rivers State and was Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, for many years. The President expects the new Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority to discharge his duties with…

THE House of Representatives has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to halt the proposed implementation of the cybercrimes levy of 0.5% imposed on electronic transactions by bank customers. Consequently, the House directed the CBN to withdraw the ambiguous circular in existence, and issue an unequivocal circular in line with the letters and spirit of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2024. The development was in response to a motion on the urgent need to halt and modify the implementation of the cybersecurity levy, moved by honourable Kingsley Chinda (PDP Rivers) and 359 others. According to the Green House, the CBN…

THE Federal Government has said mandatory registration of Point-of-Sales operators nationwide will reduce kidnapping and help security agencies arrest recipients of ransom payments from kidnap victims. It also vowed that security agencies would go after PoS operators who fail to comply with the directive to register with the Corporate Affairs Commission after July 7, 2024. The Registrar-General, CAC, Hussaini Magaji, disclosed this at the formal launch of the CAC registration of agents and merchants of fintechs on Wednesday in Abuja. The event also marked the unveiling of a 24-hour service centre to help prospective applicants get a prompt response to…

IN a significant setback to Nigeria’s burgeoning tech industry, reports suggest that Microsoft is considering the closure of its African Development Centre based in Lagos. This move, if confirmed, would have profound implications for the country’s technological landscape, potentially impacting job opportunities and innovation in the sector. According to industry insiders who spoke to The Guardian newspaper on Tuesday, Microsoft notified over 200 staff on Monday of the closure plans. According to reports from the newspaper, affected employees are slated to receive salary payments up until June and will continue to be covered by health insurance. However, an unnamed source…

– Insist Anti-Graft Agency’s Handling Of Allegations Connotes Politicization  Of Mandate FRONTLINE Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organisations have again advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to toe the path of the rule of law and not continue to give credence to the impression that its anti-corruption mandate is being politicized by some interests whose intentions are neither patriotic nor altruistic. According to them, what is happening currently, in the ongoing controversy surrounding the Commission’s handling of its allegations against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, “connotes nothing but that.” They also noted that, with the way the…

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has distanced itself from a purported list of ex-governors under investigation for alleged corruption in circulation. On Saturday, several reports emerged in the media (not News Point Nigeria) that 58 former governors were under the radar of the anti-graft agency. They were accused of misappropriating N2.187 trillion over 25 years. According to reports, the 58 former governors – drawn from the six regions of the country – were being probed, while others have been investigated, and prosecuted. But in a statement on Sunday, the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, described the reports as false…

THE founder and President of MAAUN Group of Universities Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo has stressed the need for universities to collaborate with their counterparts across the globe to promote internationalization. Prof. Gwarzo made the remark when he visited Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu University (KHAIRUN) on Friday, He said there was a need for KHAIRUN to establish collaboration with a view to exposing the university to other universities across the globe. “KHAIRUN needs to liaise with some international to see what is obtainable there with a view to tapping there for the development of the university. “It’s very important to internationalize because…

THE Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) has again raised the alarm over the safety of journalists in the country. This follows the report of the abduction of Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ). According to reports, Ojukwu was abducted by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police and is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti in Lagos. IPI NIGERIA in a statement by its President, Musikilu Mojeed strongly condemns the abduction and calls on the Inspector General of Police to, with…

THE Court of Appeal has granted an exparte motion for stay of proceedings filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against the contempt proceeding commenced by the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, against the Chairman of the Commission, Ola Olukoyede. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Hon. Justice Joseph O.K. Oyewole, consequently granted the EFCC’s application to serve the processes in the Appeal by substituted means on the former Governor. The Court consequently adjourned the hearing of the motion on notice to May 20, 2024. The EFCC boss who was summoned to appear before the Kogi…

DOZENS of protesters from Zamfara State have occupied the entrance to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), calling on the commission to reopen investigations on the former governor of the state, Bello Matawalle. The protesters under the auspices of APC Loyalists Forum is asking the EFCC to investigate all petitions against the former governor, including the alleged contract diversion up to the tune of N70 billion during his tenure as governor of the state. The EFCC Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, who received the protest letter on behalf of the chairman, assured the protesters that…

JUSTICE Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned further hearing in the alleged money laundering charges against Ali Bello and three others to May 27, 2024. The Judge, on Thursday, adjourned the trial following the conclusion of evidence in chief by the second witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Olomotane Egoro. The adjournment was to allow counsel to Ali Bello, Abubakar Aliu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, to cross examine the witness in his testimony against the defendants. At Thursday’s proceedings, in the suit marked: ABJ/CR/573/2022 (FRN Vs. Ali Bello and 3…

POLICE authorities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have arrested two suspected traffickers with five children. The suspects were attempting to evade arrest by police operatives in Sokoto, according to the FCT Police Command spokesperson Josephine Adeh. “The operatives of the FCT police command, on April 27, 2024, at about 8:00 p.m., arrested two female suspects, Kulu Dogonyaro and Elizabeth Ojah, in connection to the trafficking of five children,” she said in a Thursday statement. “The suspects who attempted to escape arrest from Sokoto police operatives were intercepted and arrested by FCT police operatives at Kagini junction, Abuja, while suspiciously…

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), said it has tracked a total of N219.84bn projects that were poorly executed across 176 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs. The Chairman of the Commission, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, said it achieved the feat through the Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Initiative (CEPTI) set up in 2019, as a powerful tool against corruption in government projects as well as to track funds released for constituency projects by public officials. At a press conference held in Lagos, Aliyu noted that the initiative is to ensure government funds…

SCORES of youths from Kogi State trooped out in Abuja, on Wednesday, in a May Day solidarity walk for Nigerian children to press home their disappointment with the handling of the much-publicised allegations of corruption against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The youths decried what they called the systemic violation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the former Governor’s children, “who have nothing whatsoever to do with whatever the Commission is investigating their parents for.” President, Kogi Independent Youths Association, Comrade Mohammed Abdulrazak, said, “Let it be on record…

THE Presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, while presenting a joint address at the May Day celebration in Abuja, on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to also enthrone service reflective tariff and stoppage of segregation of customers. In the 18-item demands presented by the labour leaders, they said electricity privatisation exercise in the country should be reviewed with the view to a reversal. In addition, they want the government to immediately roll out the CNG buses nationwide as agreed. They also call for a one-year moratorium on all forms of taxes,…