THE Federal Government has begun evacuating willing Nigerians in Iran, escorting them across the Armenian border to ensure their safety amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. News Point Nigeria reports that the evacuation follows the growing crisis that began on February 28 after coordinated military strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel. The attacks triggered retaliatory missile and drone strikes across parts of the region, raising fears of a wider conflict. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this in a post on her X handle on Tuesday. She…
Author: Maimuna Bashir Isa
THE Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) said it has disbursed a total of ₦206.29 billion in student loans to 1,164,222 beneficiaries since the launch of the scheme. The fund’s Daily Status Report as of March 9, 2026 sighted by News Point Nigeria, noted that since the portal opened on May 24, 2024, a total of 1,734,985 students have applied for the loan scheme, with more than 1.16 million already benefiting from disbursements. Data from the report indicates that 270 institutions have benefited from the programme so far. The loan, which covers tuition fees and student upkeep allowances, was introduced to…
THE Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has released emergency hotline numbers for Nigerians living in or travelling through parts of the Middle East as tensions continue to rise over the Iran-related conflict in the region. In a public notice shared on its official X handle sighted by News Point Nigeria, NiDCOM urged Nigerians in affected countries to save the hotline numbers and immediately contact the nearest Nigerian mission in cases of distress or emergency. The move follows mounting fears over the wider implications of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has raised concerns about the safety of foreign…
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the implementation of a new Exit Benefit Scheme that will grant retiring federal civil servants a gratuity equivalent to 100 per cent of their total annual salary. The scheme, which will take effect from January 1, 2026, is expected to significantly enhance retirement benefits for officers who have served the country for at least 10 years in the federal civil service. The approval represents one of the most significant welfare reforms for federal workers in recent years and underscores the government’s effort to ensure civil servants retire with improved financial security. The development…
THE Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday adjourned the alleged terrorism trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abdulaziz, till March 10, 2026. News Point Nigeria reports that the adjournment followed an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, who sought more time to enable the prosecution to adequately study the case file. Oyedepo informed the court that the file was recently transferred from the State Security Services to the Department of Public Prosecutions. “We ask your lordship for a very short date. If we have four days,…
THE hearing of a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Nasir El-Rufai against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and four other respondents was stalled on Tuesday due to the inability of the claimant’s counsel to serve the respondents with court processes. News Point Nigeria reports that El-Rufai is seeking ₦1 billion in damages from ICPC and the other defendants. The additional respondents include the Magistrate’s Court of the Federal Capital Territory, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Federal Ministry of Justice (Attorney-General of the Federation), listed as the second to fourth respondents. When the matter…
THE Federal Government has advised Nigerians living in the Middle East, particularly in the Islamic Republic of Iran and surrounding Gulf nations, to take extra security precautions following rising military tensions in the region. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Saturday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government said it is closely watching developments involving military operations reportedly carried out by Israel and the United States against targets in Iran, as well as subsequent retaliatory actions affecting parts of the Gulf. Authorities urged Nigerian citizens in the affected areas to remain alert and avoid locations considered…
AN Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has affirmed the validity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held in the Oyo State capital in November 2025, which produced Kabiru Tanimu Turaki as the party’s substantive national chairman. News Point Nigeria reports that delivering judgement on Friday, Justice Ladiran Akintola upheld the amended originating summons filed by Musibau Adetunmbi (SAN) on behalf of the claimant, Folahan Malomo Adelabi. The court granted all 13 reliefs sought, holding that the convention complied with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), and other relevant electoral laws.…
THE Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has criticised the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over its interim report, which alleges an airfare hike by domestic airlines. News Point Nigeria reports that the AON described the FCCPC’s claim as harmful to the survival of airlines and based on a flawed understanding of the industry’s economics. The reaction followed the FCCPC’s disclosure on February 26 that it uncovered evidence suggesting local airlines manipulated ticket prices during the 2025 yuletide period. Reacting in a statement, the spokesperson of Airline Operators of Nigeria and Chairman of United Nigeria Airline, Obiorah Okonkwo, stated…
NIGERIA has formally declared its bid for membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2027–2029 term. In a video statement sighted by News Point Nigeria, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar announced the country’s candidature, describing the council as an important platform for dialogue, conflict prevention, and international cooperation on human rights. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with the council’s mechanisms, stressing that these instruments are vital for the global promotion and protection of human rights. Tuggar highlighted plans to finance safe schools and strengthen secure learning environments as part of government efforts to protect…
THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has said that employees of the agency who were responsible for shortfalls recorded in Kuje and Kabusa during the Federal Capital Territory elections will be investigated. News Point Nigeria reports that Amupitan said the workers would be punished if found guilty. According to him, the transporters who were responsible for the delay in the movement of logistics to the Kwali area council will also be blacklisted. Amupitan stated this while reviewing the FCT polls at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.…
THE United States House Committees on Appropriations and Foreign Affairs on Monday officially submitted to the White House a report detailing their findings and recommendations on addressing the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Recall that President Donald Trump, after redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, mandated Congressman Riley Moore and Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole to lead a comprehensive investigation into the alleged persecution of Christian communities by terrorists and the security challenges plaguing Nigeria. Moore confirmed the submission of the report on his X handle, @RepRileyMoore, on Monday evening. Moore had earlier led a delegation on…
THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has approved the cancellation of 485 land documents in Abuja after they failed to meet verification standards set by the authorities. The affected documents were nullified following an extensive review conducted by the Department of Land Administration in collaboration with the Abuja Geographic Information Systems. Officials said that the documents did not pass authenticity checks, with many confirmed to be fake. In a public notice sighted by News Point Nigeria, by the Federal Capital Territory Administration on Monday and marked as Batch I, authorities confirmed that the invalid applications had been…
THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended the controversial restriction of movement imposed ahead of Saturday’s area council elections in Abuja, insisting that the decision was taken with the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. News Point Nigeria reports that Wike made the clarification on Saturday while monitoring the polls in several parts of the FCT, including Garki, Karu, Karshi, Wasa, Apo and Ketti. “It is unfortunate, I thought as a Senator she should be able to read. I never imposed a curfew on my own. I said with the approval of Mr. President,” Wike…
THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has clarified that candidates are not required to remove their hijabs during registration, following a video that raised concerns about alleged discrimination against Muslim candidates at Afe Babalola University. In a video shared by social media user AsakyGRN, a man lamented that his sister had been told to remove her hijab before being photographed, saying, “I followed my sister to the JAMB centre to collect her form. She was told to remove her hijab before she could be captured. “After the capturing, they asked her to sign an undertaking for wearing a hijab. Are…
THE senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has taken a swipe at the administrative style of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, accusing him of autocracy. Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today monitored by News Point Nigeria, the lawmaker said Wike is not willing to work with anybody. Kingibe decried that despite writing to the minister, she hasn’t gotten a positive response on how to deliver the dividends of democracy to FCT residents. “If the Minister were my younger brother, he wouldn’t behave this way. I am only about governance.” ”You can see the letters…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that over 1.5 million voters have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) across the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of the February 21, 2026, chairmanship and councillorship elections. News Point Nigeria reports that the development comes as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, declared Friday, February 20, 2026, a work-free day and imposed a restriction of movement from 8 pm on Friday to 6 pm on Saturday to ensure smooth conduct of the elections. INEC had fixed February 21 for the election of chairmen…
FOLLOWING the sighting of the crescent by the moon-sighting committee on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia has announced that the first day of fasting will be Wednesday, February 18. During the month, which lasts 29 or 30 days, Muslims observing the fast will refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, typically for a period of 12 to 15 hours, depending on their location. Ramadan is the month when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad more than 1,400 years ago. The fast entails abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations during daylight hours to…
THE Federal Ministry of Health has directed the immediate disengagement of directors who have spent eight years or more in the directorate cadre, in line with the Federal Government’s enforcement of tenure limits under the Revised Public Service Rules (PSR) 2021. The directive, contained in an internal memo sighted by News Point Nigeria on Tuesday, affects directors within the ministry, federal hospitals, agencies, parastatals, and other affiliated institutions under the ministry’s supervision. The move follows a broader Federal Government instruction mandating all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to strictly enforce the eight-year tenure policy for directors and a four-year renewable…
THE National Information Technology Development Agency, in partnership with the House of Representatives Spouses Association, has launched a two-day capacity-building programme in Abuja aimed at strengthening the digital leadership skills and emotional well-being of spouses of members of the House of Representatives. News Point Nigeria reports that the workshop, themed “Empowering Women for the Digital Future: Leadership, Wellbeing and Opportunity,” focuses on digital literacy, cybersecurity awareness, financial empowerment, entrepreneurship and mental resilience, particularly within the demands of public life. Speaking at the opening ceremony on Monday in Abuja, the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Fatima Tajudeen…