Author: Maryam Garba

AHEAD of the Saturday, February 21 Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has declared Friday a work-free day and announced a restriction of movement from 8pm on Friday to 6pm on Saturday. News Point Nigeria reports that Wike made the announcement in a special broadcast on national television and radio stations on Thursday, urging residents of the FCT to come out en masse to vote for candidates of their choice. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister, Lere…

FORMER Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was on Monday night still being interrogated by detectives at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, hours after he honoured an invitation from the anti-graft agency. News Point Nigeria reports that as of press time, neither the EFCC nor associates of the former governor had provided an official update on his status or the duration of the questioning. El-Rufai arrived at the commission’s office in the Jabi area of Abuja on Monday morning. His media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, confirmed his presence via a social media post, sharing a…

THE MAAUN Group of Universities has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Professor Muhammad Sanusi Magaji as the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Science and Technology, Kabo (FUSTK), Kano State. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Sunday, the Founder of the MAAUN Group, Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, described the appointment as timely and well deserved, citing Prof. Magaji’s extensive academic and administrative experience. Gwarzo said the President’s decision reflects a commitment to merit and competence in leadership appointments within the education sector. “President Tinubu’s decision to appoint Prof. Magaji reflects confidence in competence and experience. We…

A FORMER Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has confirmed that he will honour an invitation from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. News Point Nigeria reports that El-Rufai disclosed this in a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, a day after what he described as an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory stated that he would present himself at the commission’s office as scheduled. “Yesterday, after the futile attempt to abduct me, the ICPC delivered a letter…

THE Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has suspended its nationwide strike, 84 days after the industrial action began. This was announced in a communique sent to News Point Nigeria by the union on Friday after its expanded National Executive Council (NEC) emergency meeting held in Abuja. According to the communique, the meeting was convened to review the outcomes of a conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and JOHESU held on Thursday at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. “After exhaustive deliberations and review of the terms of settlement of the conciliation meeting, the expanded NEC -in-Session…

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has invited qualified professionals to express interest in joining the United Nations Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator Talent Pipeline. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Wednesday, the Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the initiative seeks “high-calibre professionals to join leadership roles within the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator system.” “The RC/HC Talent Pipeline is designed to identify and prepare individuals for leadership positions, while broadening and diversifying the pool of eligible candidates,” the statement said. “Due consideration will be given to gender balance and equitable geographical representation.” The Ministry explained that…

THE Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) has raised the alarm over what it described as growing threats to Nigeria’s social cohesion, national security and democratic governance posed by unregulated global digital gatekeepers. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Tuesday, the umbrella body of Nigeria’s media industry warned that algorithms controlled outside the country are increasingly shaping public discourse, manipulating narratives and weakening professional journalism, with far-reaching consequences for national stability. The NPO comprises major media stakeholders, including the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Nigeria Union of Journalists…

THE National Judicial Council has recommended 14 candidates to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointment as Judges of the Federal High Court. In a statement sent to News point Nigeria on Thursday, Kemi Ogedengbe, Deputy Director of Information at the NJC, said the recommendation was made during the council’s 110th meeting, held from January 13 to 14, 2026 and presided over by the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. Ogedengbe said that 14 candidates were cleared and recommended to the President for approval after security reports indicated that there were “no adverse comments on any of them.” The…

THE Kano State Police Command has arrested three principal suspects in connection with the killing of a housewife and her six children in Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters of the Kano metropolis. The arrests followed intelligence-led and coordinated operations carried out between the night of January 17 and the early hours of Sunday, January 18, 2026. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, CSP Abdullahi Kiyawa, said the arrests were made on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim…

THE Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa says lecturers in the “professoral cadre” will now enjoy a ₦140k monthly top-up with the landmark deal signed between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government. Alausa said this on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today monitored by News Point Nigeria. “This allowance is for professors. As long as you’re a full-time professor or you’re a reader, you’ll get that additional top-up,” the minister said on the current affairs show. “No, it’s been bucketed per annum salary, but you get it every month, and I can tell…

THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday met with former President Goodluck Jonathan at his Maitama office in Abuja. News Point Nigeria reports that addressing journalists after the closed-door meeting, National Chairman of the PDP, Tanimu Turaki, said the visit aimed to brief Jonathan on the party’s state, ongoing legal battles, and prospects ahead of upcoming elections. “We have his assurance that he remains an active, card-carrying member of the PDP and feels obliged to support the party; the PDP has done enough for him, and he will try his best to do more…

CANADA deported no fewer than 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025, as the North American country intensified immigration enforcement at its fastest pace in more than a decade, official figures have revealed. Data obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) removals programme sighted by News Point Nigeria show that, in addition to those already deported, 974 Nigerians are currently listed in the “removal in progress” inventory, meaning they are awaiting deportation from the country. The statistics, updated on November 25, 2025, place Nigeria ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported from Canada within the review period. Nigeria also…

A 29-YEAR-OLD Nigerian woman, Olajide Iyanuoluwa, has been arrested in India with 121 grams of cocaine valued at about Rs 1.20 crore (approximately N195m), which she allegedly concealed inside bread loaves. News Point Nigeria gathered that the Indian authorities have remanded Iyanuoluwa in judicial custody and initiated procedures to deport her to Nigeria. According to a report by The Indian Express on Wednesday, Iyanuoluwa was arrested by the Karnataka Police for allegedly smuggling cocaine from Mumbai to Bengaluru. Investigations revealed that the suspect had travelled to India in 2024 on a student visa and initially moved to Delhi before her…

THE Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that at least 153 people have died from measles across the country within an 11-month period, highlighting persistent gaps in immunisation coverage and public health surveillance. News Point Nigeria reports that according to the agency, 19,213 confirmed measles cases were recorded out of 26,866 suspected cases between January and November 2025, spanning 507 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The data was contained in the NCDC’s latest measles situation report, released to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday. Measles is an acute…

NO fewer than 42 Nigerians have been deported from Ghana’s Ashanti Region following rulings by various courts over alleged prostitution, fraud, and other related offences. News Point Nigeria reports that this development was disclosed in a Facebook post on Thursday, December 18, 2025, by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Frank Amoakohene. According to him, other foreign nationals deported include 13 Cameroonian nationals, three Ivorian nationals, three Burkinabe nationals, and seven Benin nationals. In total, 68 African nationals were affected by the court decisions. Amoakohene wrote, “A total of 42 Nigerians, 13 Cameroonians, 3 Ivorians, 3 Burkinabe nationals, and 7 Benin nationals…

PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a proclamation further restricting entry to the United States for nationals from countries deemed high-risk due to “demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” that threaten U.S. national security and public safety. News Point Nigeria gathered that among the 15 additional countries newly subject to partial restrictions is Nigeria. The announcement comes directly from the White House website, in a fact sheet titled “President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States,” issued December 16, 2025. Trump had earlier…

RESIDENT of Sheka Sabuwar Gandu, a densely populated area within the Kano metropolis, are reeling in shock and grief following the gruesome killing of a pregnant woman and her 18-month-old son by yet-to-be-identified assailants. News Point Nigeria reports that the tragic incident was discovered on Saturday evening at about 8pm, when the woman’s husband returned home from work to find their residence unusually locked from the outside, an alarming sight that immediately raised suspicion. According to community sources, the distraught man forced the door open, only to be confronted with a horrifying scene. The lifeless bodies of his wife and…

THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has sacked the Acting Executive Chairman of the FCT Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), Michael Ango. This was made known in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communication and Social Media, Lere Olayinka. The most senior official of the FCT-IRS has also been directed to take over the running of the revenue agency with immediate effect. “The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has sacked the Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue…

NIGERIAN organisations are facing the highest volume of weekly cyberattacks in Africa, according to the newly released African Perspectives on Cyber Security Report 2025 by Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., a global leader in cybersecurity solutions. The report reveals that Nigerian firms experience an average of 4,200 attacks per week, significantly higher than the continental average of 3,153 and 60 per cent above the global average of 1,963 attacks per organisation. The findings highlight a sharp rise in attacks across Africa, driven largely by artificial intelligence-enabled threats. Country Manager for West Africa at Check Point, Kingsley Oseghale, said attackers are…

THE National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to pay a ₦620,000 fine for stalling proceedings in the suits filed by 62 former staff members challenging their disengagement. News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae issued the order after counsel for the former employees, Ola Olanipekun (SAN), complained that the apex bank’s late filing of a fresh application had forced an unnecessary adjournment in a matter scheduled for hearing. The 62 former staff, who filed separate suits now pending before the court, are urging the NICN to nullify their termination letters…