Author: Maimuna Bashir Isa

THE corruption trial of Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former Nigerian oil minister and the first woman president of OPEC, is set to begin in London on Monday. News Point Nigeria reports that the 65-year-old faces five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, all related to her time as Nigeria’s Minister for Petroleum Resources between 2010 and 2015, when Goodluck Jonathan was Nigeria’s president. Alison-Madueke is accused of accepting “financial or other advantages” from individuals linked to two energy groups between 2011 and 2015. These included the use of, refurbishment work on, and staff costs at…

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 30-year-old Brazilian woman, Ingrid Benevides, with 30.09 kilograms of heroin. Disclosing this in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the drugs, worth over ₦3 billion in street value, were concealed in factory-sealed coffee packs at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. He said the suspect was intercepted on Friday after arriving in Abuja on a Qatar Airways flight. According to the anti-narcotics agency, Benevides, a private security officer in Brazil, was placed under intelligence-led surveillance before her arrest at the airport. “When…

THE Republic of Türkiye has identified 76 wooden and metal artifacts believed to belong to Nigeria, paving the way for their repatriation and potentially strengthening cultural ties between the two nations. The Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, HE Mehmet Poroy, made this known on Thursday when he paid a courtesy visit to the Hon Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa Esq., in Abuja. Ambassador Poroy stated that discussions for their return will commence immediately the Nigerian government officially identifies and claims ownership of the objects. He also expressed hope that a cultural cooperation agreement between Turkey…

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has urged international investors to look beyond the security challenges facing Nigeria, saying that the reported geopolitical risks were exaggerated, eroding foreign investors’ confidence in the country. Speaking when he featured on CNN on Tuesday at the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, monitored by News Point Nigeria, Tuggar noted that incidents of insecurity being recorded across the country are “isolated cases” and not the reality across the country. According to him, instability in the Sahel had spilled into Nigeria. “We are urging investors to treat us the same way they treat other…

THE Niger State Government has initiated discussions with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy to transform the historic Bida Bariki Festival into a nationally and internationally recognised cultural event. News Point Nigeria reports that the proposal was presented in Abuja on Tuesday by Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi, Member of the House of Representatives for Bida/Katcha/Gbako Federal Constituency, during a meeting with the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq. Hon. Abdullahi, who also serves on the House Committee on Culture and Tourism, described Bida as the cultural nerve centre of the…

THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled plans to deploy satellite-to-phone connectivity as part of a broader strategy to expand mobile network coverage to an estimated 23.3 million Nigerians who remain underserved or completely unconnected by conventional terrestrial networks. The initiative, also known as direct-to-device (D2D) or direct-to-cell connectivity, allows ordinary smartphones to connect directly to satellites for voice calls, text messages and limited data services without relying on mobile base stations. The NCC says the technology offers a practical solution to long-standing connectivity challenges in remote, rural and hard-to-reach areas. In a consultation paper published on its website sighted…

PREPARATIONS have reached an advanced stage for the wedding ceremony of nine children of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, who are set to get married on the same day in Abuja. The unusual but grand event, which has generated widespread public interest, came to light following the circulation of an official wedding invitation card on social media. The invitation, sighted by News Point Nigeria on Saturday, features the photograph of the minister and details of the multiple marriage ceremonies scheduled to take place at the Abuja Central Mosque. According to the invitation, the weddings will be held…

TWO Nigerian nationals residing in India have been arrested for allegedly beating their compatriot to death following a dispute over a woman in Pune, India. The suspects, identified as Chukwudi Okafor, 31, and Samuel Eze, 34, were taken into custody by Indian police in connection with the death of Emeka Christian, a 40-year-old Nigerian garment trader who was legally residing in India on a visa valid until 2027. News Point Nigeria gathered from India Today that the incident occurred in the Pisoli–Phursungi area of Pune in the early hours of Monday. According to police reports, the victim had visited the…

JUSTICE Chizoba Orji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has struck out the defamation case against the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Udughan, filed by the Federal Government. News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Orji struck out the suit following an application by the prosecution lawyer, Aderonke Imana, to discontinue the case. Counsel to Natasha, West Idahosa, subsequently moved for the matter to be struck out following the prosecution’s application for discontinuance. He also urged the court to release all documents belonging to the defendant and her sureties. The prosecution counsel did not oppose the application made…

THE United States said Wednesday it was suspending the processing of immigrant visas from Nigeria and 74 countries, President Donald Trump’s latest move against foreigners seeking to come to America. The United States has long rejected visas from people who appear likely to end up needing government welfare, but the State Department said it would now use the same authority for a blanket suspension of immigrant visas based on nationality. “The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.…

THE National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) at the University of Port Harcourt has joined its national body in demanding the full implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Federal Government, threatening to resume nationwide strike despite a court order. News Point Nigeria reports tah the MoU, based on NARD’s nineteen-point demands, addresses critical welfare, remuneration, and professional practice issues affecting resident doctors across Nigeria. Justice Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, on Friday, issued an order restraining NARD and its members from embarking on the strike scheduled to commence on January 12.…

JUSTICE Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, has issued an order restraining the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and its members from embarking on the strike scheduled to commence on January 12. News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Subilim made the order on Friday while ruling on a motion ex parte filed by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). The ruling followed submissions by the Director of Civil Litigation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Maimuna Lami Shiru, who led a team of ministry lawyers in moving the…

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has reaffirmed Spain’s role as a strategic partner and a vital bridge between Africa and Europe. Tuggar disclosed this during an engagement with the leadership of CEOE, Spain’s foremost business confederation, where he assured Spanish investors that Nigeria’s economy was steadily stabilising through ongoing structural reforms, diversification efforts, and strengthened macroeconomic coordination. Currently in Spain to lead Nigeria’s delegation in talks with Spanish investors, the minister encouraged them to explore opportunities in the Nigerian market. A statement to News Point Nigeria by the minister’s media aide, Alkasim Abdulkadir, outlined several priority sectors identified as…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote as the director-general of the Nigerian Law School. The appointment takes effect on January 10, 2026, for a four-year term. Dr Odusote, 57, is currently the Deputy Director-General and Head of the Lagos Campus and will become the first woman to lead the institution since its establishment in 1962. She will succeed the current Director-General, Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, whose tenure expires on January 9, 2026, after eight years of service. Titilayo Odusote obtained her LL.B. degree from  Obafemi Awolowo University and was called to the Nigerian…

GOVERNMENT activities across Abuja remained largely subdued on Monday as many civil servants were yet to fully resume duties following the Yuletide and New Year holidays, resulting in sluggish commercial and official activities around the Federal Secretariat and other key government offices in the nation’s capital. News Point Nigeria reports that the Federal Government had earlier declared Thursday, December 25, 2025 (Christmas Day), Friday, December 26, 2025 (Boxing Day), and Thursday, January 1, 2026 (New Year’s Day) as public holidays to mark the festive season. However, days after the official resumption date, findings by this newspaper showed that attendance across…

THE National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Saturday announced a resolution to resume its Total, Indefinite and Complete Strike (TICS 2.0) on January 12, 2026. News Point Nigeria reports that Last week, the doctors warned that the country may soon face another nationwide shutdown of medical services, following the Federal Government’s failure to honour a Memorandum of Understanding previously signed with the association. In a statement on X, signed by its President, Dr Mohammad Suleiman, NARD disclosed that the move is to press home its demands, following resolutions reached at its Emergency National Executive Council meeting on Friday. The…

ZAYNAB Ngohemba, formerly known as Zaynab Otiti Obanor, has spoken publicly about her recent marriage to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. News Point Nigeria had reported that the couple tied the knot in 2024 in a private ceremony that has since generated public interest and become a major talking point across the country’s social and political circles. In a statement issued on Wednesday by her media aide, David Adeoye, and published by ThisDay, Zaynab described the marriage as a union “rooted in maturity, shared purpose and mutual understanding”. She said the relationship represents the coming…

THE Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), which has replaced the now-defunct Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has unveiled its institutional brand identity (logo) as part of efforts to reposition the country’s revenue administration structure. The agency came into operation following the signing of the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025 by President Bola Tinubu in June 2025, marking a major shift in the legal and operational framework governing tax administration in the country. Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday, the Executive Chairman of the NRS, Zacch Adedeji, said the launch of the logo and accompanying brand elements represents…

THE Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has warned that the country may soon experience another nationwide shutdown of medical services, following the Federal Government’s failure to implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the association. In an urgent appeal posted on X sighted by News Point Nigeria on Monday, NARD said it was on the brink of resuming a total and indefinite comprehensive strike, citing what it described as the government’s persistent disregard for timelines agreed under the MoU. The appeal, titled “Urgent Appeal to Avert a Looming Nationwide NARD Strike (TICS 2.0),” was signed by Dr Shuaibu…

THE Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has officially married Queen Zaynab Ngohemba, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, marking a significant personal milestone for one of Nigeria’s most senior government officials. News Point Nigeria reports that the marriage became public knowledge on Friday following a celebratory post on social media by Abraham Double-d Dajoh, a Facebook user and prominent member of the Dajoh family, who announced the union and welcomed Queen Zaynab into the Akume family. In the widely shared post, the Dajoh family described the marriage as…