Author: Sani Nura

RESIDENTS of Banga village in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been plunged into mourning and disbelief following the gruesome killing of 38 abducted villagers by suspected bandits despite the payment of over ₦50 million in ransom. The shocking development has once again thrown the spotlight on the deteriorating security situation in parts of northern Nigeria, especially Zamfara, where banditry and mass abductions have become all too common. Confirming the tragic incident, Mannir Haidara Kaura, Chairman of Kaura Namoda LGA, told News Point Nigeria that 56 villagers were initially abducted during an earlier attack on Banga village.…

NO fewer than thirty-five kidnapped victims of Banga village in Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State were said to have been slaughtered by bandits for failure to pay N35 million ransom. An indigene of the village, Sani Suleiman, disclosed this in a telephone interview with this newspaper on Sunday, stating that bandits had kidnapped 53 people from the village, where they demanded the sum of one million naira from each of the captives. According to him, the 53 kidnapped victims had been in captivity for several months, but only 18 of them who were able to pay the ransom…

THE Adamawa State Police Command has arrested two suspected kidnappers linked to a threat to kidnap a resident of Song Local Government Area in Adamawa State. In a statement issued on Sunday, the command’s spokesman, SP Suleiman Nguroje, stated, “This is following a complaint received from one Hassan Musa Dabutu of Song LGA, who reported receiving threatening calls from an unknown subscriber, that they are coming to kidnap him unless he pays a certain amount of money. “The complainant also raised concern that his family had earlier suffered a series of kidnappings, where a total sum of N20m was paid…

GOVERNOR Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has expressed sorrow over the death of the Emir of Gusau, Ibrahim Bello, who passed away at the age of 71 on Friday morning in Abuja after a prolonged illness. In a condolence message, Governor Lawal described the passing of the Emir as a personal loss, saying the late monarch was not only a respected traditional ruler but also a pillar of wisdom and guidance for the state. “I received with deep sadness the news of the passing of our father, His Royal Highness, Dr. Ibrahim Bello, the Emir of Gusau,” the governor said.…

NIGERIA’s Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, on Thursday decried the alarming cancer burden in the country, stating that cancers account for 127,000 cases annually, with about 80,000 deaths each year. The minister disclosed this while commissioning a cancer centre at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina. According to him, non-communicable diseases like cancer are among the fastest-growing components of Nigeria’s disease burden, and as a result, the country is expected to see a rise in cancer cases. Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate commissioning the cancer centre in Katsina on Thursday, July 24, 2025. He expressed confidence that…

THE Bashir Aliyu Gummi-led Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly has accused Governor Dauda Lawal of neglecting citizens amidst what it described as worsening insecurity across the state. At a sitting on Thursday, Gummi faulted the governor for failing to commiserate with victims of recent attacks, instead proceeding on vacation while communities were under siege. He cited several attacks within one week in Jangebe (Talata-Mafara), Damri (Bakura), Kyambarawa (Kaura Namoda), and Bungudu, where hundreds of residents were reportedly killed or abducted. The lawmakers expressed dismay that no relief or condolence came from the state government, despite the violence…

RESIDENTS of Fegin Mahe community, located in Ruwan-Bore ward under Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State, have staged a peaceful protest at the Government House in Gusau, decrying the worsening security situation in their area. The visibly aggrieved residents, who turned out in large numbers, carried placards, demanding urgent action from the state government to address the incessant attacks by armed bandits, which have left their community in fear and despair. They lamented that no single security operative is currently stationed in Fegin Mahe, leaving the entire community vulnerable to repeated attacks and criminal activities. The protesters said their…

GOVERNOR of Katsina State, Dr. Dikko Radda, has been discharged from the hospital following a recent road accident along the Katsina-Daura highway. According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Ibrahim Mohammed, medical experts have certified Governor Radda fit to resume his official duties immediately. “The Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has been discharged from the hospital where he received medical attention following a road accident on his journey from Katsina to Daura,” Mohammed said. Mohammed added that the governor expressed deep appreciation to citizens of Katsina State, colleagues, friends, and well-wishers across the country for their…

THE Kebbi State Government has strongly dismissed speculations surrounding the 2027 governorship ambition of former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, describing it as a futile attempt to rewrite history and mislead the people. In a statement issued on Monday made available to News Point Nigeria, Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Abdullahi Idris Zuru, said Malami is chasing shadows, noting that Kebbi voters are now too politically aware to be swayed by rhetoric and last-minute gimmicks. “In Kebbi today, the people are no longer impressed by empty promises or political gymnastics,” Zuru…

A CRIMINAL gang killed nine farmers on Friday in Zamfara state, an official and two residents said. Motorcycle-riding “bandits” rounded up a group of farmers working their fields outside Jangebe village in Talata Mafara district, kidnapping around 15 others, the sources said. Armed gangs across Nigeria have taken root across its rural hinterlands amid poverty and government neglect. They raid, loot and burn villages, exact taxes, and conduct kidnappings for ransom. “Bandits attacked the farmers and killed nine of them,” Yahaya Yari Abubakar, political administrator of Talata Mafara district, said. “The attackers kidnapped around 15 other farmers, and they are…

FORMER Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, on Friday, made his first courtroom appearance as a lawyer, stepping into legal practice after years in politics and public life. Dressed in a full wig and gown, Melaye appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite at Court 8 of the Federal High Court, Abuja, marking his debut since being called to the Nigerian Bar. “Senator Dino Melaye at the Federal High Court Abuja today. Appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of Court 8,” Melaye shared on his verified Facebook page on Friday. The former lawmaker was among over 5,000 new lawyers called to the Bar in…

TWO officials of the Adamawa State government have been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Yola for allegedly diverting funds provided by the World Bank for the rehabilitation of primary schools devastated by the Boko Haram insurgency. The accused, Popoona Samuel and Arama Davies Gyandi were arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday, July 10, 2025, before Justice Tijjani G. Ringin, facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and unlawful conversion of public funds. In a statement released on Friday, ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare explained that the accused had served…

TROOPS of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army (NA)/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have foiled plans by terrorists and apprehended two suspected terrorists in separate operations within the Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State. Acting on credible intelligence, troops deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Wukari arrested a 45-year-old suspected terrorist, Felix Myina, a native of the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is a high-ranking member of a notorious bandit and kidnapping syndicate operating under a wanted criminal kingpin identified as Mcianan, also known as Yellow. The group, according to a…

GOMBE State Government has commenced the distribution of subsidized fertilizer across all 114 wards in the state, as part of efforts to support farmers during the 2025 wet season farming. This development is in line with the directive of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, to ensure that agricultural inputs reach genuine farmers directly at the grassroots, right down to the polling unit level without weighing them down with transportation or logistical burden. Trucks have already been transporting the inputs to various Local Government Areas (LGAs) for onward distribution, following the Governor’s recent flag-off of the 2025 wet season farming activities. Recall…

GOVERNOR Nasir Idris of Kebbi State has attributed the growing security challenges in the state to the activities of informants and the inadequate presence of security personnel. He made this known during a condolence visit to Zogirma community in Bunza Local Government Area, where three mobile policemen were recently killed by armed assailants. According to the governor, the attackers were not Lakurawa or known bandits, but criminals allegedly invited by informants within the community. “Those who killed the policemen are not Lakurawa or bandits. They are thieves invited by informants to steal the money we gave to the victims of…

LAKURAWA bandits have attacked the Zogirma–Tilli Road in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State, in an attempt to kidnap commuters plying the route. Upon receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer in Zogirma promptly mobilised a team of officers and rushed to the scene, with reinforcement from the No. 36 Police Mobile Force Squadron in Birnin Kebbi. A fierce gun duel ensued between the security operatives and the bandits, resulting in the death of three police officers. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Abubakar. The statement added that several…

GOMBE State Governor,  Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, yesterday, received in audience the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahya, at the Government House. During the visit, Governor Inuwa Yahaya lauded the NUJ President for his purposeful leadership since assuming office, describing his stewardship as both visionary and impactful. He pledged continued support and collaboration with the NUJ President to ensure the success of his tenure, particularly in promoting press freedom and professional journalism in Nigeria. The Governor also assured that the state government would give due attention to the completion of a befitting NUJ State…

IN a move to tackle the growing number of out-of-school children in Zamfara State, Governor Dauda Lawal has launched the state’s Homegrown School Feeding Programme, aimed at boosting school enrollment, retention, and completion. The official flag-off took place at Dan-Turai Primary School in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, where the governor also joined pupils in sharing a symbolic meal. His gesture reinforced the state’s commitment to nurturing a generation of well-fed, well-educated children. In his remarks, Governor Lawal noted that the flag-off signifies his administration’s strong commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to implement various strategies to increase school enrollment…

OPERATIVES of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Katsina State Command, have arrested three suspected members of an inter-state human trafficking syndicate that specialises in the recruitment, harbouring, and trafficking of young girls from other parts of the country to the North for sexual exploitation. The three suspected traffickers were arrested inside a prominent hotel located in Katsina township, where three victims of human trafficking were rescued during the sting. According to a communiqué signed by the agency’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, the manager of the hotel and two other workers were arrested. Two of…

JOINT security forces, comprising police, military personnel, and components of the Nigerian Air Force, on Tuesday engaged hundreds of heavily armed bandits who simultaneously attacked the communities of Kadisau, Raudama, and Sabon Layi in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State. The operation resulted in the successful neutralisation of 30 bandits. Unfortunately, three dedicated Mobile Police Force personnel alongside two other courageous soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice, and one other officer, Ya’u Aliyu sustained injuries. This was disclosed in a statement by the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mua’zu, on Wednesday. Mua’zu extended the State…