Author: Gbenga Mukhtar

NIGERIA has commenced the deportation of foreign nationals convicted of cybercrime and Ponzi scheme offences, marking a major step in its ongoing fight against financial fraud and transnational crime. On Sunday, August 18, 2025, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) deported the first batch of 42 foreign convicts, consisting of Chinese and Philippine nationals, back to their home countries. They were part of a syndicate of 192 foreigners found guilty of large-scale cyber terrorism, Ponzi schemes, and financial fraud. The deportees were scheduled to leave Nigeria at exactly 2:00 p.m. local time, with additional batches set to depart on Monday and…

AFTER days of speculations about the alleged killing of a student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, the management of the institution has confirmed the killing of one of its students during a sign-out ceremony. According to a statement issued by the Registrar, Olayinka Balogun, the incident occurred on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at the Ultramodern Wazo Market in Ogbomoso. The victim, identified as Babalola Marvelous Olanrewaju, a 300-level student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, was reportedly shot during the gathering and later succumbed to his injuries. Balogun noted that the university had prohibited sign-out activities…

WITH just over two years to the 2027 presidential election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced the inauguration of its National Working Committee (NWC) Zoning Committee and the 2027 Election Zoning Committee in Abuja, while firmly dismissing claims that former President Goodluck Jonathan and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi are in formal talks to return to the party. The development comes amid sharp divisions within the PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) over moves by some party figures to woo the two political heavyweights back into the fold. Some NEC members expressed skepticism, recalling how Jonathan distanced himself…

THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sounded a grave warning that counterfeit medicines, unsafe foods, and unregulated cosmetic products have claimed more lives in Nigeria than the Boko Haram insurgency. The revelation came from Dr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, during a press briefing on Tuesday after a large-scale enforcement operation at the Lagos Trade Fair Market. The five-day crackdown led to the seizure of over 10,000 cartons of unregistered tomato paste and cosmetic products, many of which, according to NAFDAC, posed serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers. “I can say…

FIVE persons suspected to be masterminds of the 2022 bombing of Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, have pleaded not guilty to nine counts of terrorism filed against them by the Federal Government. The suspects, Idris Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdul Malik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Abubakar, who were arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court on Monday, are accused of being members of Al-Shabab terrorist group with a cell in Kogi State. Justice Nwite has fixed August 19, 2025 for the commencement of trial. The judge equally ordered the suspects to be remanded in…

GUNMEN have attacked Babanla community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing five persons including a police officer, Adejumo Wasiu. Following the attack, a combined troops of security forces comprising operatives of the Nigerian Army, police, Department of State Services and local vigilantes, were quickly mobilised to apprehend the assailants. The attack forced residents of the community to abandon their homes and villages, fleeing to neighbouring communities for safety of their lives. The Kwara State Police Command confirmed the attack on Sunday via a statement by its spokesman, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi made available to News Point Nigeria. ‎The statement…

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele, founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, for allegedly masterminding multiple illicit drug shipments into Nigeria. Olasele, also known as Abbas Ajakaiye, was apprehended on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at his church along Okun Ajah, Ogombo Road, Lekki, Lagos. According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, operatives waited until after the Sunday service to avoid disrupting worshippers. The cleric had been on the run since June, when two major cannabis seizures were traced to him. On June 4, NDLEA recovered 200kg of “Ghana Loud,” a…

THE late Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, has been laid to rest in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The funeral service, held at the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, Aremo, Ibadan, was attended by dignitaries from far and near who joined a large congregation to celebrate the life and enduring legacy of the revered monarch. His coffin was draped in the national flag with military regalia. In his sermon, the Archbishop of Ibadan Province of the Anglican Communion, Williams Aladekugbe, described Oba Olakulehin’s significant contributions to the community as enduring, portraying him as a cherished traditional ruler and a…

FUJI music legend, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, has apologised over the incident involving him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on August 5, 2025. In a statement he personally signed on Friday, the singer expressed regret over the controversy but maintained that the flask he carried on the day contained only water, not alcohol as alleged in some reports. “The incident that occurred at the local wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was, to say the least, unfortunate. “Unknown to many, I suffer from chronic dehydration, and my doctor strongly advised that I…

THE Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to prosecute Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde popularly known as K1 De Ultimate over his unruly behaviour at the Abuja airport on Tuesday. NCAA spokesman Michael Achimugu said Ayinde’s attempt to block a moving ValueJet aircraft violated Nigeria’s civil aviation regulations. In its letter to the AGF and the IGP, the NCAA called for a “comprehensive criminal investigation and the initiation of appropriate prosecution in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Civil Aviation regulations (Nig. CARs)…

TWO persons have been killed and three others abducted by armed men in Ganmu village, near Babanla, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. The attack, it was gathered, occurred when the victims, who were travelling from Lagos to Babanla, suffered a flat tyre near the community. While attempting to fix the fault, they were ambushed by five gunmen who opened fire on them. The victims, who lost their lives in the attack were identified as Alhaji Abdulrazak Ewenla, a native of Ajia village, and Jimoh Audu from Ganmu. The three abducted individuals have been named as Kazeem Ajide, Wahidi,…

THE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has launched a formal investigation into a disruptive incident involving legendary Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. News Point Nigeria reports that the incident, which occurred on Tuesday, August 5, reportedly involved a violation of aviation safety procedures during boarding for a Lagos-bound ValueJet Airlines flight. According to FAAN, the respected music icon was seen carrying a flask containing an unidentified liquid, which he attempted to bring aboard the aircraft, contrary to aviation regulations that restrict liquid substances beyond a certain…

A FORMER managing director of the defunct Concord Group of newspapers, Doyin Abiola, has died at the age of 82. Mrs. Doyin, who was the wife of the late Chief MKO Abiola, reportedly died on Tuesday night. She was promoted to be the MD and editor-in-chief of the Concord newspaper in 1986, becoming the first Nigerian woman to become the editor-in-chief of a daily newspaper in Nigeria. Mrs. Abiola’s career at National Concord Newspaper spanned three decades, wherein she also served in different capacities in Nigeria’s media space. She was a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Diamond…

A SUSPECTED hired assassin, Wasiu Akinwande, arrested by the operatives of the Lagos State Police Command, is currently being arraigned at the Ogba Magistrate Court, Ogba area of the state, on 11 counts bordering on murder, unlawful possession of arms, and felony, among others. The command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a statement sent to this newspaper on Tuesday. This newspaper reports that 44-year-old Akinwande, popularly known as Olori Eso, and described as the “most wanted vicious and notorious hired killer”, was apprehended during a coordinated tactical operation code-named ‘Silence, Speed and Surprise’ carried out by the…

OFFICERS of Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Mohammed Area Command in Lagos State have intercepted a consignment of birds destined for illegal export to Kuwait. The live birds, over 1,620 in number are species of Ringnecked Parakeets known as Parrots and Canaries feather tagged Green and Yellow Fronted. The interception, carried out under the leadership of the Customs Area Controller, Michael Awe, was the result of routine inspections by vigilant officers of the MMIA Command. Awe said that as Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, no illegal…

IN a bold call for professionals, creatives, and entrepreneurs to reclaim the true value of their work, Adedayo Oketola, President of the International Visitor Leadership Program Alumni Association of Nigeria (IVLPAAN), delivered an inspiring address at the Empower-to-Prosper Masterclass on Negotiation. Held recently at the American Corner, Ikeja, Lagos, the event, aptly themed “Negotiate With Power: How to Charge Appropriately for Your Value,” addressed the rising importance of negotiation as a core professional competency in Nigeria’s increasingly competitive business landscape. Speaking to a packed room of ambitious participants, Oketola declared, “Value should never be undervalued.” He emphasised that many brilliant…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of cocaine and tramadol hidden in vehicle side mirrors, lipsticks, and footwears in a string of operations that led to multiple arrests across Lagos, Abuja, and several states. Spokesperson for the agency, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, intercepted a consignment headed to Libreville, Gabon, containing 57,420 pills of tramadol 225mg and 57 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.60kg concealed in 71 vehicle side mirrors. The agency noted that the shipment was seized on 19 July, leading to the…

ACADEMIC activities have been grounded at the Lagos State University following the commencement of an indefinite strike by staff unions. The aggrieved staff downed tools on Thursday over unresolved issues with the university management. Comprising the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Non-Academic Staff Union, and National Association of Academic Technologists, the Joint Action Committee announced the decision in a letter dated July 31, 2025, addressed to Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello. The notice obtained by Channels Television on Friday was signed by ASUU-LASU Chairman and Secretary, Prof. Ibrahim A. Bakare and Sylvester O. Idowu,…

THE Kwara State High court Ilorin has sentenced Abdulrahman Bello to death by hanging for killing Hafsoh Lawal, a final year student of the College of Education, Ilorin. ‎Delivering her judgement on Thursday, Justice Hannah Ajayi, however, set free four other defendants and cleared them of any wrongdoings. ‎Charged with five count, the judge started by exonerating the four out of the five defendants namely Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Jamiu Uthman, Suleiman Muyideen and Abdulrahman Jamiu of any complicity and therefore set them free of taking part in the death of the victim Hafsoh Lawal. Delivering judgment on the main culprit, Abdulrahman…

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has officially ruled out the sale of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, reaffirming its commitment to completing high-grade rehabilitation and retention of the plant. The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Limited, Bashir Ojulari, announced this during a town hall on Tuesday at the NNPCL Towers, Abuja. He stated that the position was not a shift, but rather informed by ongoing detailed technical and financial reviews of the Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri refineries. The ongoing review indicates that the earlier decision to operate the Port Harcourt refinery before full completion of…