THE Federal Government says over N13trn was spent on subsidy payment in 16 years between 2005 and 2021. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, stated this on Monday in Abuja during the launch of the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI). He said, “I have carefully studied the NEITI’s policy advisory on fuel subsidy forwarded to my office. I will like to commend NEITI for the in-depth research and outline of options to assist government in making a decision on the subsidy removal debate. “From that Policy Advisory, over N13trillion…
Author: Hamza Rufai
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GOVERNOR Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to approve any study leave or whatever kind of leave for any officer critical to the take-off of the incoming administration of Bola Tinubu. News Point Nigeria reports that, the governor specifically mentioned the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, who he said has been speculated to have requested leave and urged the President to deny the CBN governor such a request. Matawalle hailed the President and his wife for making efforts to ensure a seamless transition and handover to the president-elect Bola Tinubu but…
THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba has insisted that the May 29 inauguration remains important and can’t be interfered with. News Point Nigeria reports that, he warned political actors trying to foment trouble or frustrate the inauguration of newly elected leaders to desist. The IGP, who said this while briefing reporters in Abuja on Monday, vowed to do everything possible alongside other security operatives to defend democracy. He said: “Following the successful conclusion of the 2023 General elections, it has been observed that some major political actors that the outcome did not favour, have been issuing public threats…
AN explosive device suspected to be a bomb has exploded in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital. News Point Nigeria reports that, the bomb blast, which occurred at the Doruwa drinking joint opposite a bank, affected some buildings within the vicinity. Eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident said a lady, a couple and a teenager were badly hit by the explosion and rushed to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention while several others sustained various degrees of injuries. Though no life was lost, the police have condoned off the area to avert another blast just in case another one was…
A CROSS section of northern leaders are demanding that the region must produce the leadership of the 10th National Assembly given that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, are both from the southern part of the country. The leaders representing the 19 northern states and drawn from the academics and political class argued that their demand for the North to head the legislative arm of the Federal Government was in line with Section 14(1), (2) and (3) of the 1999 constitution. The northern leaders made the demand at a one-day round-table discussion in…
THE Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Idris Wase has declared for the lower lawmaking body’s speakership position. Mr. Wase formally declared his intention for the position at an event in Abuja on Friday. At the ceremony which was attended by his supporters and some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the lawmaker urged Nigerians to unite and work together for the betterment of the country. He also promised a vibrant legislature, reeling out his experience to lead the House of Representatives if elected. The lawmaker representing Wase Federal Constituency said on several occasions, he had “sacrificed”…
THE rift within the upper echelons of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears unresolved as five governors under the aegis of the G5 were conspicuously absent at a meeting of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, with current and soon-to-be-inaugurated governors. “This afternoon, I joined other party leaders at the welcome reception for newly elected and returning governors, as well as send-forth for outgoing governors of our great party, the @OfficialPDPNig,” Atiku tweeted on Friday. “While congratulating the outgoing governors for having flown the flag of our party high with pride, I urge the incoming…
ANOTHER batch of Nigerians stranded in Sudan have arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from the war-ravaged Sudan. The Tarco Aviation aircraft carrying 126 evacuees, all students from Port Sudan, arrived at 12:25 pm, Thursday. There has not been any record of loss of any Nigerian so far. Upon arrival, the returnees were processed by officials with the filling of the returnee registration forms handed to them by government officials. They were received by officials of NEMA; NIDCOM; the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the Nigeria Immigration Service.…
THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited needs to roll out massive investments in terms of oil and gas to meet the demand for these commodities, Africa’s richest man and Chairman, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said. He said the national oil firm should invest more because there were many off-takers waiting to off-take the products from the company. Dangote spoke at the ongoing 2023 Annual Value Assurance Review Workshop of the Nigeria Upstream Investment Management Services Limited, according to a statement. He explained that a good investment manager would actively seek for investment opportunities, assess them and take shrewd investment…
FIRE has gutted some parts of the Nigerian Air Force Base located along Airport Road in the Federal Capital Territory. The cause of the fire outbreak was yet to be ascertained at the time of filing the report. Operatives of the Federal Fire Service have also made an effort to put out the fire. No official statement yet from the Nigerian Air Force on the incident. More details shortly….
AT least 15 girls have reportedly died in a fresh boat accident at Dandeji village in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The girls were said to be be on their way to a nearby bush to fetch firewoods when their boat capsized on Tuesday morning. According to eyewitness accounts, over 40 girls were on board when the incident happened. A resident of the area, Muhammad Ibrahim, said 15 corpses had already been recovered and local divers were still searching for the other victims. The chairman of Shagari local government, Aliyu Abubakar, who confirmed the incident said the bodies…
AS the race for the 10th Senate presidency gets ‘tougher’, 72 non-serving senators have endorsed former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, to head the 10th Senate. A former senator representing Kano Central, Basheer Lado, in a press conference in Abuja on Monday, on behalf of the group expressed support for the zoning of the position of the president of the 10th senate, to the south-south geo-political zone of Nigeria. Address the press, Lado said: We are a group of non-serving Senators of the Second to the Fourth Republics. We have invited you today to announce our position with…
GUNMEN suspected to be bandits stormed the palace of the Emir of Kagarko in southern part of Kaduna State, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, and took away nine of his children, grand children and three others in the town. A resident, who spoke to our reporter, said the gunmen stormed the area around 11:15pm and headed directly to the Emir’s residence. “They took away his youngest wife, nine children and grandchildren but the wife escaped and returned back home,” he said. He said the gunmen also took three other persons, including a lady and injured one Audu Kwakulu of Ungwan Pah who…
ONE hundred and twenty-nine more Nigerians have fled war-torn Sudan as the Federal Government further strengthens its efforts to repatriate stranded Nigerians in the North-African country. News Point Nigeria reports that the returnees arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, the nation’s capital on board the Tarco Airlines from Port Sudan, Monday. Upon their arrival at 9:15 am, the returnees were processed by officials with the filling of the returnee registration forms handed to them by government officials. Comprising 124 adults and five infants, they were received by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigerians in…
PASSENGERS of MaxAir aircraft that departed Yola, Adamawa State to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, had a terrifying experience, yesterday, as the tyre burst into flames during landing. The plane had departed Yola at 14:00p.m. and was scheduled to arrive in Abuja at 15: 00 p.m., before the incident. Fortunately, all 143 passengers, one infant, and six crew members on board were safely evacuated with no casualties. It was not clear what caused the tyre to burst into flames, but investigations are ongoing. However, the Aerodrome Rescue and Fire-fighting Service, ARFFS, operatives at the airport were swift to mobilise to…
GOVERNOR Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has dispelled the rumours of him jostling to become Chief of Staff in President-elect, Senator Bola Tinubu’s cabinet. News Point Nigeria reports that, El-Rufai stated this in Gombe on Saturday while addressing newsmen. Reports claim that El-Rufai was in the state to inaugurate the construction of 550 housing units and Gombe Geographic Information Systems (GOGIS) Service Centre. He described the reports on the different portfolios being assigned to him and published in national dailies as “mere speculations”. The governor said he was more interested in contributing to the development of Nigeria than jostling for…
ALL is set to receive golden boy, John Ebuka, one of the anchor legs that won a gold medal in Men’s 4×100m Relay at the just concluded African Junior Athletics Championship in Zambia. According to a press statement made available to journalists signed by Gombe Athletes Association Media Office on Friday, records have shown that Ebuka’s feat was the first time an athlete from the state would bring home such medal. The statement added that, “Gombe wants to appreciate Ebuka and to encourage other Athletes to tour their best in training and work hard in future competitions. “Ebuka has made…
THE American University of Nigeria (AUN) has received the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) approval to offer a Master of Science degree in Communication for Social and Behavior Change. The Master’s program, which is developed and will be run in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), begins in the fall (September) semester. AUN also received NUC’s approval to offer a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in a hybrid mode, allowing candidates to take full advantage of AUN’s advanced technological support and learning facilities to further their academic and professional careers. The NUC also approved AUN to roll out M.Sc.…
THE Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a United Nations agency, has disclosed that the global food price index rose in April for the first time in a year. Food prices however are still 19.6 percent down from a record high hit in March 2022. The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) report for last month, published on Friday, shows the April rise reflected higher prices in commodities such as meat, sugar and rice, which balanced the unfavourable declines in the cereals, dairy and vegetable oil price indices. According to the agency, there was an increase in the sugar index owing to…
SOLDIERS have raided Janjala community in Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State and arrested the Madaki or Janjala, Mallam Ibrahim Aliyu, and 13 suspected bandits’ informants in the area. A source, who preferred anonymity, confirmed to our reporter through phone on Wednesday, that troops invaded the community on Tuesday in eight Hilux vans, motorcycles and picked up the suspects. He said the troops stopped at Kagarko town where some suspects were picked up before driving into Janjala community which is about three kilometers away from Kagarko. “The two arrested suspects in Kagarko town led the troops to some houses in Janjala,…