Author: Maryam Garba

THE BBC has announced plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs globally, citing mounting financial pressures and a rapidly evolving media landscape, in what could become one of the corporation’s most significant restructuring exercises in nearly 15 years. In a statement to staff on Wednesday, the broadcaster’s interim director-general, Rhodri Talfan Davies, said the organisation was still working through details but anticipated that “the overall number of jobs will fall by 1,800–2,000.” The BBC, which employs about 21,500 people, noted that the cuts would account for “almost one in 10” roles across its global operations. The planned downsizing is expected…

THE Nigerian Police Force has questioned a report by Amnesty International, claiming that at least 1,100 persons were kidnapped across Nigeria within three months. News Point Nigeria reports that the police described the figure as unverified and not cross-checked with security agencies. Reacting to the report on Sunday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, challenged the source of the data, insisting that the organisation did not consult the police before publishing its findings. “What is their source of information? They didn’t consult the police or cross-check with us. “We have our records. And they didn’t check with us. If…

THE Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 14 for the hearing of a suit challenging the leadership of the African Democratic Congress led by former Senate President, David Mark. News Point Nigeria reports that the suit, filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, is seeking to stop Mark and other party leaders from parading themselves as executives of the party. Justice Emeka Nwite fixed the date on Friday after hearing notices were issued to all parties in the case. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, has the ADC, Mark, former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and former ADC…

HAJIYA Hadiza Attahiru Jega, wife of former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, is dead. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Sunday, April 5, 2026, the family confirmed her death and disclosed that her Janaiza prayer will take place after the Zuhr prayer at 1:30 p.m. at the National Mosque in Abuja. Prof. Jega currently serves as Co-Chairman of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee (PLRIC), Special Adviser to the President on Livestock Development, and Pro-Chancellor of both Nasarawa State University and Usman Danfodio University. The late Hajiya Hadiza Jega was widely…

THE Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), seeking to overturn a Federal High Court judgement that restrained it from imposing fines on radio and television stations across the country. News Point Nigeria reports that delivering the lead judgement, Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi, on behalf of a three-member panel, upheld the earlier ruling and set aside the fines imposed by the NBC on 45 broadcast stations on March 1, 2019, for alleged breaches of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. The panel was presided over by Justice Abba Mohammed, with Justice Donatus Okorowo…

A FORMER Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jumoke Akinjide, has resigned her membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State. News Point Nigeria reports that Akinjide announced this in a letter addressed to the Ward 1 Chairman of the PDP in Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State, on Monday. The daughter of late renowned legal luminary, Richard Akinjide, SAN, described her resignation as a “difficult decision” having been a PDP member since 2001. She said, “I hereby formally give you notice of my resignation as a member of the PDP, effective immediately. I…

THE Federal Government has intensified efforts to combat certificate fraud by tightening the verification of academic records across tertiary institutions, as part of a broader reform initiative aimed at strengthening the credibility and integrity of Nigeria’s education system. News Point Nigeria reports that the move follows growing concerns over reports that some Nigerians obtained questionable degrees from unaccredited institutions abroad, raising doubts about the authenticity of certain academic qualifications used for employment and career advancement. Reaffirming the government’s commitment to restoring trust in Nigeria’s education sector, the Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa, disclosed the new measures on Thursday during his…

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano state command, has arrested one Ashiru Bala with 1,499 bottles of cough syrup containing codeine. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, the state Commandant, CN D. Y. Lawal said Bala’s arrest followed intelligence operations that led to the seizure of the bottles. According to him, the operatives arrested the 45-year-old suspect at his residence in Lambu, Tofa Local Government Area. The stated added that the suspect was intercepted after transporting the consignment from Abuja. The drugs were intended for delivery to…

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…