PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the deployment of dozens of Nigerian ambassadors to diplomatic missions across the world, assigning key envoys to strategic countries including the United States, Iran, Israel, China, and the United Kingdom. News Point Nigeria reports that the postings involve 31 career diplomats and 34 non-career political ambassadors, completing the diplomatic corps whose nominations were earlier confirmed by the Nigerian Senate in December. The appointments are expected to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic presence globally and deepen bilateral relations with major international partners. Among the most notable postings, former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lateef…
Author: Sadiq Abdullateef
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THE Defence Headquarters has clarified that Nigeria’s military cooperation with the United States is strictly focused on professional training, operational capacity building, and intelligence sharing, stressing that there are no plans to establish a United States military base in Nigeria. News Point Nigeria reports that the clarification was made by the Director of Defence Information at the Defence Headquarters, Major General SM Uba, during a Twitter Space discussion organised by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare. According to the military spokesman, the collaboration between the Nigerian Armed Forces and the United States Army…
FORMER Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has issued a formal petition and pre-action notice to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), demanding N15.6 billion in damages over what he described as his illegal detention and several alleged violations of his fundamental rights. The petition, dated March 4, 2026 obtained by News Point Nigeria, was filed by a law firm led by Ubong Akpan and submitted to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The move marks the latest twist in the escalating legal confrontation between the former governor and the anti-graft agency. News Point Nigeria had earlier reported…
VICE President Kashim Shettima has said the federal government’s ongoing tax reforms are designed to improve the lives of Nigerians and reduce the burden on small businesses and low-income earners, rather than impoverish them. News Point Nigeria reports that Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking on behalf of President Bola Tinubu at an interfaith breaking of fast held at the State House to mark the observances of Ramadan and Lent. According to the vice president, the tax reforms are aimed at eliminating multiple levies and charges that have long burdened small businesses and ordinary Nigerians. He…
MOJTABA Khamenei, the son of late Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, is among the leading contenders to succeed his father as the new head of the country. Khamenei’s successor is set to be named by the top clerical body, the Assembly of Experts, with one of its members, Ahmad Khatami, telling Iranian state media on Wednesday that they hoped to vote “at the earliest opportunity”. Contenders for the top position include Alireza Arafi, one of the three members of the interim council running the country, hardliner Mohsen Araki, and even Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the founder of the country…
THE United States Embassy in Nigeria has cancelled all visa appointments scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, 2026, citing a high potential for protests in Abuja amid escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran. Disclosing this in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Wednesday, the embassy warned of “potential demonstrations” in the Federal Capital Territory, calling on American citizens to remain indoors. “The U.S. Embassy in Abuja informs U.S. citizens that there is a high potential for protests in Abuja tomorrow, March 4, 2026, due to the current conflict with Iran,” the statement read. “Previous protests by some…
DEPOT owners across Nigeria have raised the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, by an average of N100 per kilogram, as geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East sends shockwaves through global energy markets and into Nigerian households. News Point Nigeria reports that major distributors have already adjusted their price boards. Nipco Plc is now selling LPG at N950 per kilogram. Navgas Limited has moved to N900 per kilogram, while Techno Oil Limited is dispensing at N885 per kilogram. The increases mark a sharp rise from the previous market average of around N800 per kilogram and…
THE Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested five security operatives allegedly implicated in facilitating the controversial return of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to Nigeria from Egypt on February 12. News Point Nigeria reports that the development follows an incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where DSS operatives reportedly attempted to arrest El-Rufai upon his arrival from Cairo but were unsuccessful. Sources indicated that the DSS had moved to detain the former governor at the airport, but he declined to accompany the officers without a formal invitation. Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai’s former spokesman, had publicly confirmed that…
THE United States Embassy in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, was hit by two drones and a “limited explosion” broke out at the diplomatic compound, the Saudi Ministry of Defence has said. According to multiple international media outlets, News Point Nigeria reports that the strike on the US Embassy early on Tuesday also caused “minor material damage” to the compound, the Defence Ministry said in a statement, while there were reports later that more drones were targeting the site amid Iran’s retaliation across the Gulf to US-Israeli attacks. US President Donald Trump told the NewsNation media outlet that the US…
THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday disclosed extensive details of documents and electronic devices allegedly recovered from the Abuja residence of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, during a search operation last month. News Point Nigeria reports that the disclosures were contained in court filings before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, where the anti-graft agency is opposing a N1bn fundamental rights enforcement suit instituted by El-Rufai. In its filings, the commission urged the court to dismiss the suit, insisting that its operatives acted under a valid search warrant issued on February 18 and…
RISING geopolitical tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States have begun to reverberate through Nigeria’s energy market, with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery increasing its Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) gantry price to N875 per litre. The N101 hike raises the ex-depot price from N774 to N875 per litre, sparking concerns of an imminent rise in pump prices across the country. A senior official at the refinery confirmed the development to News Point Nigeria on Monday, attributing the upward review to volatility in global crude oil prices and rising replacement costs. “Yes, the price has been reviewed. The new gantry price…
NIGERIA could see higher oil revenues amid escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran, but energy experts warn that ordinary Nigerians may also face fresh increases in petrol and diesel prices if global crude prices surge above $90 per barrel. As tensions in the Middle East roil global markets, analysts told News Point Nigeria that Africa’s largest crude producer remains exposed to international price shocks despite recent reforms and expanded domestic refining capacity. The crisis intensified following coordinated military strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel, triggering retaliatory exchanges and heightening fears of a broader regional…
IRAN has announced the formation of a three-member transitional council to handle the state duties following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, member of a powerful constitutional watchdog, was appointed on Sunday to the temporary council, whose other two members are President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme Court Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei. The 67-year-old cleric, who is a member of the Guardian Council that must later choose a supreme leader, was confirmed to the council by the Expediency Council, a powerful arbitration body. According to Article 111 of the Iranian Constitution, the transitional council will govern…
IRANIAN government and state media have confirmed the death of Ali Khamenei, the country’s Supreme Leader, following a massive joint military offensive by the United States and Israel on Saturday, marking an unprecedented escalation in Middle Eastern conflict and raising profound questions about the future of the Islamic Republic. News Point Nigeria reports, citing State television and the official Islamic Republic News Agency who had reported early Sunday that the 86-year-old leader, who had led Iran since 1989 was killed during Saturday’s airstrikes. Iranian media also announced a 40-day period of public mourning, as well as a seven-day national holiday.…
HUNDREDS of Nigerians attempting to travel to or from several Middle Eastern destinations have been stranded following escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran, which have triggered widespread airspace closures and mass flight cancellations. News Point Nigeria reports that travellers bound for or transiting through Qatar, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates were among those affected as major international carriers suspended operations over security concerns. Airlines including Air France, Air India, Turkish Airlines, Norwegian, Air Algérie, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Lufthansa announced cancellations after missile exchanges and airstrikes intensified across the region. On Saturday…
WEDNESDAY night in Abuja delivered a moment that may well redefine one of Nigeria’s most contentious recent cases. Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa formally took custody of Walida Abdulhadi Ibrahim, marking a decisive turning point in a matter that has steadily grown from a simple missing-person report into a complex legal and human rights battle. What followed was more than a routine handover. The development injected fresh intensity into a dispute that has tested the resilience of Nigeria’s justice system, provoked constitutional scrutiny, and ignited nationwide debate over child protection safeguards and the powers of security agencies. In this weekend…
A DRAMATIC twist unfolded on Friday in the trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, as a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that his earlier bail no longer subsists following the reassignment of his case. News Point Nigeria reports that the presiding judge, Joyce Abdulmalik, held that since the matter had commenced afresh before her court, all previous proceedings including the bail earlier granted by Emeka Nwite were legally extinguished. The ruling means the former AGF must file a fresh bail application before the court can consider his release. The Economic and Financial…
OPPOSITION political parties have rejected the 2026 Electoral Act recently passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu. News Point Nigeria reports that the parties called on the National Assembly to immediately begin a fresh amendment process to remove what they described as “all obnoxious provisions” in the law. Their position was made known at a press briefing themed “Urgent Call to Save Nigeria’s Democracy,” held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on Thursday. In a communiqué read by the Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Ahmed Ajuji, the opposition leaders stated:…
GOVERNOR Umar Namadi of Jigawa State on Wednesday night formally took custody of Walida Abdulhadi Ibrahim, the young woman from Hadejia Local Government Area whose disappearance in 2023 sparked widespread controversy and legal battles. News Point Nigeria reports that Walida, who had been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), was handed over to the governor at the Service’s headquarters in Abuja at about 10:40 p.m. after weeks of public scrutiny and mounting pressure from civil society groups. Speaking shortly after the handover, Governor Namadi described Walida as “a daughter of Jigawa State” and assured that the…
THE power structure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano have taken a dramatic turn following what party insiders described as an underwhelming turnout at Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s high-profile reception rally held on February 16. The development has led to a significant revision of the power-sharing arrangement within the party’s state structure, a move that underscores the delicate balance of forces between established APC figures and the governor’s bloc. The rally, which was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, and several governors, was widely expected to signal a massive consolidation of political forces…