Author: Farouk Abbas

THE Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has fined Multichoice Nigeria the sum of N766,242,500 (Seven-Hundred-and-Sixty-Six-Million-Two-Hundred-and-Forty-Two-Thousand-Five-Hundred naira) for violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act). The NDPC slammed the fine on the South African pay TV from firm after investigating for one year. “The investigation which commenced in the second quarter of 2024 was triggered by suspected breach of privacy rights of Multichoice subscribers and illegal cross-border transfer of personal data of Nigerians. NDPC found, among others, that Multichoice violated the data privacy rights of subscribers and their friends who are not necessarily subscribers”, NDPC Head, Legal, Enforcement & Regulations,…

THE Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, has described the late elder statesman and industrialist, Aminu Dantata, as a rare gem whose selfless contributions to humanity and national development will be remembered for generations to come. Bayero remarked on Sunday shortly after returning from Madinah, Saudi Arabia, where he had travelled to lead funeral prayers for the late business mogul. Upon his return to Kano, the Bayero paid a condolence visit to the bereaved family of the deceased patriarch. According to a statement signed by Abubakar Balarabe Kofar Naisa, the Chief Press Secretary to emir, said the world would…

THE United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has filed a civil forfeiture complaint against a Nigerian national, Ehiremen Aigbokhan, accused of stealing over ₦460 million in cryptocurrency intended for the inauguration of President Donald Trump in January 2025. According to court documents, Aigbokhan allegedly orchestrated a sophisticated Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme from Lagos, Nigeria. The operation involved creating spoofed email addresses that closely resembled those of officials on the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee. Investigators said the suspects used a nearly identical email address, substituting a lowercase “L” for an uppercase “I”, to impersonate committee co-chair Steve Witkoff. The deception…

MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has slammed critics who insist the President Tinubu administration is underperforming, saying such people are “politically expired” and blind to ongoing progress. Speaking on Wednesday during the flag-off and commissioning of road projects in the Ushafa-Bwari area of Abuja, Wike aimed at long-time political critics who, he claimed, had drifted across multiple parties since 1999, yet still fail to acknowledge progress. “Let them hear. Let those who don’t have vision, who are politically expired, and those who, since 1999, have belonged to over 10 political parties — let them see what…

THE coalition of opposition politicians on Wednesday formally took over the structure of the African Democratic Congress ADC as its political platform for the 2027 general election. The event saw some ministers in the Muhammadu Buhari administration as well as some former members of the National Working Committee NWC of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC. At the event, which was held at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, the National Chairman of the party, Chief Ralph Okey Nwos,u said the ADC held 12 meetings of its National Executive Committee NEC, within the course of 18 months. According to him, Nigeria…

MEMBERS of the opposition coalition, under the auspices of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have converge on the Yar’Dua Centre in Abuja for an unveiling. News Point Nigeria reports that the  2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi; a former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai; and a former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, are present at the mmeting. Also present are a former Senate President, David Mark; and a former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, who were recent appointed as interim national chairman and national secretary of the…

A WITNESS in the ongoing trial of Hadi Sirika, former Minister of Aviation, has told a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja how the former minister allegedly exploited his position to award multi-billion-naira aviation contracts to companies owned by his family members. Testifying before S.C. Oriji (Justice), Christopher Odofin, the twelfth prosecution witness and an investigating officer with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), narrated how Sirika, who served as Aviation Minister from November 11, 2016, to May 29, 2023, manipulated a contract for the construction of a terminal building and apron expansion project. According to Odofin, what…

THE Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State, Aliyu Bello, has been suspended by the leadership of his ward. The suspension is coming hours after the leaders of the party in the state passed a vote of confidence on the chairman in an emergency meeting in Lafia, the state capital. The chairman of the APC Gayam Ward in Lafia Local Government Area of the state, Ibrahim Ilyasu, disclosed this during a press briefing in Lafia on Tuesday. He explained that the suspension of the state APC chairman followed a unanimous decision by all the party officials from…

CALLS to stop Presidents from appointing the chairman, commissioners and other presiding officers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) took centre stage, yesterday, in Abuja, as the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room issued its comprehensive Credibility Threshold for Nigeria’s 2027 General Election. Relatedly, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Wole Oke, asked INEC to address the confusion that voters always confront while casting their votes owing to overcrowding of ballot papers. The Credibility Threshold for Nigeria’s 2027 General Election was officially unveiled by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and former governor of…

THE Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, fixed July 22 to hear a fresh bail application that was brought before it by alleged Abuja-Kaduna train kidnap negotiator, Tukur Mamu, who is facing a 10-count terrorism charge. Mamu, through his team of lawyers led by Johnson Usman, SAN, is praying the court to order his release from the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, to enable him to seek proper medical attention. The defendant told the court that his health had deteriorated badly while in custody, saying there was an urgent need for him to undergo surgery.…

THE Presidency on Saturday night said former Benue State Governor, George Akume, remained the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). There have been reports that Akume stepped down as SGF to become the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). However, in a statement, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga “there has been no change in the status” of Akume. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, currently in Saint Lucia, has not made any new appointments. “The information circulating about Akume’s replacement is untrue,” he said. On Friday, June 27, 2025, former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje resigned as APC National…

THE All Progressive Congress (APC) governors under the aegis of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) have unanimously welcomed the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, saying it aligns with the party’s “continued evolution”. The resolution was taken as the PGF concluded a two-day strategic regional meeting in Benin City on Saturday, hosted by the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo. A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, Fred Itua, on Saturday, said the PGF reaffirmed its strong belief in a united, just, and prosperous Nigeria, committing to…

AN EFCC investigator testifying in the ongoing trial-within-trial of former Power Minister Saleh Mamman has informed the Federal High Court in Abuja that the defendant willingly provided several confessional statements to the Commission, all made in the presence of his legal counsel and associates. Appearing before Justice James Omotosho, the first prosecution witness, Abubakar Kwaido, rejected allegations that the statements were extracted under pressure. “I was surprised to hear that he was threatened, as you can see in the videos we played, the defendant and his lawyer were smiling,” Kwaido said. “He gave all his statements personally, either written or…

Says Bello’s Name Not Linked To Documents Presented As Evidence THE fourth prosecution witness in the ongoing alleged money laundering trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, has refuted, strongly, claims by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s lawyer that he was harassed by security aides of the former governor. Mshelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, said, at the conclusion of cross-examination on Friday, that he felt the need to make the clarification on the allegation, raised by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, at the beginning of the day’s proceedings. “My Lord, I wish to clarify the…

THE Board of Trustees and Ex-Officio Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party have rejected recent actions taken by the party’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, insisting that the 100th National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for June 30 must go ahead as planned. The BoT also reaffirmed the appointment of Setonji Koshoedo as Acting National Secretary, amid claims that Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the substantive secretary. In separate statements, BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and the Chairman and Secretary of the PDP National Ex-Officio Forum, Faboyede Clement and Comfort Yassan, respectively, described Damagum’s efforts to cancel the NEC meeting and reinstate…

THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has denied claims circulating online that he allocated over 2,000 hectares of land in Maitama and Asokoro districts to one of his sons. An online report had claimed that FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, secretly allocated 2,082 hectares of land in Asokoro and Maitama, two of Abuja’s most exclusive districts, to his son. The publication cited a Right of Occupancy allegedly issued in the name of JOAQ Farms and Estate Limited, which it linked to Wike’s family. The report insinuated that the land, officially meant for agricultural purposes, was being used as…

GOMBE State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has flagged-off the 2025 farming season with a major intervention, aimed at supporting the farming  population. While launching the sales and distribution of subsidized fertilizer for this year’s wet farming season, Governor Inuwa Yahaya announced the procurement of 10,000 tonnes of the input to be sold to farmers at a subsidized rate, in a major step aimed at strengthening agricultural productivity in the state. He said the quantity represents over twice the volume distributed during the 2024 wet season, which he said is part of a sustained efforts to scale up support for…

Then Those Handling Political Matters Should Prepare To Take Over, Judge Responds JUSTICE Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, rejected a move by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to ‘cross-examine’ its third witness in the ongoing alleged money laundering case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello. While delivering his ruling, Justice Nwite noted that there was no provision in law that permits the court to allow the prosecution to re-examine its witness in the manner proposed. This was just as the EFCC lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, during the proceedings, described the case…

THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that the party’s 100th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting will proceed as scheduled on Monday, June 30. The PDP NWC, in a statement on Wednesday, also insisted that Samuel Anyanwu has not been reinstated as the party’s National Secretary. This came after a press briefing by the PDP Acting Chairman, Umar Damagum, earlier on Wednesday, where he announced the cancellation of the NEC meeting and reinstated Anyanwu as the secretary. However, the NWC denounced Damagum’s pronouncement, saying that only the NEC had the power to take such…

Case Adjourned To Oct 8 For Continuation Of Hearing THE Federal Capital Territory High Court has adjourned hearing in the alleged money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and two others, to October 8, 9, and November 12, 13, 2025, for continuation of hearing. When the case was called, on Wednesday, for continuation of hearing, the Second Prosecution Witness, PW2, told the court that he had no dealings with the three defendants throughout the transactions on the property at the centre of examination. When asked to…