AT least, 350 stranded Nigerians from Sudan have arrived Aswan Airport in Egypt to be airlifted to Nigeria, Daily Trust can authoritatively report. According to a reliable source, they arrived at about 9.30am on Wednesday. “They will be airlifted by NAF C130 and AirPeace. 80 passengers in C130 and Airpeace 274 passengers,” said the source. “Checking in has commenced following normal airport protocols. Boarding is ongoing,” he added. The evacuees are expected to land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Internationa Airport in Abuja around 4:30pm as Daily Trust checks show that Cairo to Abuja is five hours and a few minutes…
Author: Hamza Rufai
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THERE is general relief as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says effective May 1, it will reconnect three Distribution Companies (Discos) earlier disconnected from the National Grid due to non-compliance with market rules. News Point Nigeria reports that KEDCO, Kaduna Disco and APLE Electric were disconnected by the TCN, a situation which left customers in their franchise areas in total darkness for days. But according to a statement by TCN Market Operator, Dr. E. A Eje on Sunday, the suspended and disconnected Discos will be reconnected to the National Grid at the instance of the Minister of Power, Abubakar…
BANDITS have again attacked many communities in the Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State, killing seven people including a fouor-year-old and abducted an unidentified number of people while several others were injured. The incident occurred at about 2pm on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning where gunmen suddenly attacked the villages of Essan, Koitapi, Wuda, Loitapi among others in the area. According to reports, the bandits, who operated for several hours without challenge, carted away cattle, motorcycle, cash, destroyed houses in the affected communities rendering them homeless. It was gathered that the armed men started shooting sporadically to scare the…
THE Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has praised the Nigerian Army for fast-tracking, restoring and enhancing security in communities formerly under the control of Boko Haram insurgents leading to the safe return of inhabitants. Zulum stated this on Friday at the sendforth dinner organised by the 7 Division in honour of the immediate past GOC and Commander Sector 1 Operation Hadin Kai Major General Waidi Shuaibu. The event was held amid intensified efforts by the state government to relocate internally displaced persons (IDPs) to liberated communities across the state. The governor said apart from addressing the root causes…
FOR the second time in a row, Sokoto State came tops in the sub national ease of doing business ranking. The first time was in 2021/2022, when it clinched the second position; while this time it bagged the third position. The awards were received by Hon. Bashir Gidado and Hon. Yusuf Hausawa: the state Commissioners of Sports and Youths Development and his Industry, Trade and Investment Hausawa counterpart: Hon. Bashir Gidado and Hon. Yusuf Hausawa respectively. These milestones, according to Gidado and Hausawa. were possible as a result of the deliberate policies and programmes of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s administration…
AMID the crisis rocking Sudan, the Federal Government has said that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) will commence the airlifting of Nigerian evacuees from Egypt on Friday. “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Peace and other Airlines have received clearance to fly to Egypt. The NAF C-130H is scheduled to leave Abuja tomorrow, 28th April, 2023 to commence the airlifting of the evacuees,” said Amb. Janet Olisa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The government also said arrangements are being concluded to airlift all Nigerians that have already escaped on their own to safety in other countries neighbouring Sudan. See…
THE federal government through the National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday suspended the planned removal of subsidy on petroleum products by the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. News Point Nigeria reports that, the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed disclosed, this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the NEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to the minister, the NEC concluded in its meeting that it is not a favourable time for the action. She stated that the Council deliberated on the matter and…
THE Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami SAN, on Thursday, appeared before the House of Reps ad-hoc committee investigating the alleged loss of over $2.4 billion in unremitted oil revenue. The revenue is from the illegal sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil export from 2014 till date. Last Thursday, the chairman of the committee, Mark Gbillah announced that Malami will face the lawmakers on April 27. He said the committee obtained reports that Malami received funds from outside the country through the whistle-blower policy but did not remit it to the federation account. The lawmaker also said…
FEDERAL Government’s ten 100-seater buses carrying stranded Nigerian students in Sudan has left the meeting point in Khartoum for Cairo, News Point Nigeria reliably gathered. A student leader, who spoke to News Point Nigeria on condition of anonymity said, five of the buses were at the meeting point in Khartoum last night and an additional 15 100-seater buses arrived the meeting point today, making it a total of 20 buses. According to him, a total of 10 buses conveying stranded Nigerian students are headed to Cairo and an additional 10 more buses are lined up at the venue to carry…
JUSTICE Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja has dismissed the suit filed by the Adamawa governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Aisha Ahmed Binani, seeking to be affirmed as the winner of the election. Justice Ekwo dismissed the suit following a notice of discontinuance that was filed by the plaintiff. Though she had applied through her counsel Mr Mohammed Sheriff to strike out the suit, Justice Ekwo declined, stressing that the appropriate order was dismissal since the court earlier directed the plaintiff to address it on the issue of jurisdiction. Senator Binani had approached the court…
PRESIDENT-ELECT, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has just landed in Nigeria. Recall that News Point Nigeria had, earlier today, reported that Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria today, ahead of the May 29 inauguration. Tinubu’s return to Nigeria was confirmed by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga on Monday on his Twitter handle with a video of Tinubu’s arrival on a private jet.
SOME Nigerian students studying in Sudan have announced planned evacuation to Ethiopia following the fighting which has led to the killing of hundreds in the country and left many foreign nationals stranded. The students, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Sudan chapter, in a statement by the Media committee of the body, obtained on Sunday, told colleagues to converge at three locations in Gadarif, before evacuation to neighbouring Ethiopia. Gadarif, also spelt Gedaref or Gedarif, is the capital of the state of Al Qadarif in Sudan. It lies on the road that connects Khartoum with Gallabat…
THE Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has responded to the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating allegations of illegal crude oil export to global destinations from 2014 to date. Malami’s position was made known in a letter to the committee on Thursday indicating that the Ministry of Justice was trying to put together a comprehensive response to the alleged sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil valued at over $2.4 billion. However, the Chairman of the committee, Mark Gbillah, who read the letter, said it came “a lot later than expected”. He…
THE Shawwal crescent moon sighted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on Thursday, April 20. Therefore, Thursday would be the last day of the holy month of Ramadan in the holy cities. It is noteworthy that the Supreme Court on Wednesday called on all Muslims in all parts of the Kingdom to sight the crescent of the month of Shawwal 1444, on Thursday evening, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. On the other hand, Eid Al-Fitr celebrations marks the end of the month-long fast. Eid Al-Fitr is traditionally celebrated with large gatherings for worshippers to pray and break their…
THE Executive Secretary of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), Prof. Benjamin Abakpa, has been suspended over alleged misappropriation of fund. This is contained in a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew David Adejo. The letter directed Prof. Abakpa to hand over the affairs of the office to the most senior director in the commission. Spokesperson of the NSSEC, Fatima Bappare, who confirmed the development, explained that Prof. Abakpa was accused by the board members of administrative ineptitude, financial misappropriation and lack of synergy, hence he was asked to go on suspension to allow…
THE Zamfara State Governor-elect Dauda Lawal has constituted a 60-member Transition Committee as he prepares to take office. The office of the Governor-elect, in a statement signed by Sulaiman Bala Idris on Wednesday, disclosed that the committee is charged with the responsibility of liaising with the outgoing Administration of Governor Bello Matawalle ahead of the May 29th swearing-in of the new government in the state. Former Inspector General of Police, MD Abubakar CFR, will Chair the Committee, while Dr. Hamza Mohammed will serve as Secretary. Also, the committee includes the former Head of Service Zamfara State, Mujitaba Isah Gusau; Col.…
TWO workers were feared dead and six others injured at a construction site at Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, after a structure collapsed on Wednesday. News Point Nigeria reports that, four persons were said to have been rescued alive, while six were fatally injured as search and rescue operation continues. The rescue operation is being carried out by a joint team of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police, among others, including volunteers. Confirming the incident in a telephone chat, Director General of the Federal Capital Territory FCT…
A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has refused to grant the request of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to remove Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, on account of his unlawful defection from the party to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). News Point Nigeria reports that, Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo in a judgment in a suit instituted by APC held that a similar request on a similar subject matter had been voided by the Court of Appeal in several judgments. Justice Ekwo said that since the judgments of the Court of Appeal holding that governors cannot forfeit their seats on grounds…
ALL National Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday had a closed-door meeting at the commission’s national headquarters in Abuja over Adamawa supplementary governorship election. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye said the Commission will release a statement on the meeting shortly. The meeting is coming barely 24 hours after the electoral umpire directed its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa Ari, to stay away from all activities of the electoral umpire and the election in state. The INEC REC had on Sunday stirred controversy when at about…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has directed one of its Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barr Hudu Yunusa Ari, to stay away from all activities of the electoral umpire and the election in Adamawa State. Mr Yunusa Ari who was the REC for the gubernatorial election in Adamawa State, stirred controversy on Sunday morning when he announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the polls, a move that was not within his constitutionally given authority. Asides from the announcement being an usurpation of the Returning Officer’s office, Barr Ari doubly-erred in that he…