Tax Reforms Bills: Tinubu not against North – Former House of Reps Speaker, Dogara
Tax Reforms Bills: Tinubu not against North – Former House of Reps Speaker, Dogara
Yakubu Dogara, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has called on northern Nigerians to refrain from criticizing President Bola Tinubu over the proposed tax reform bills.
Speaking during a town hall discussion on Channels Television, Dogara emphasised that the proposed reforms mark a significant step forward and that Tinubu should not be viewed as anti-north.
“I want to talk to my brothers in the north; I don’t think this is the time for us to begin to condemn the president and to begin to say that on account of these bills, he is anti-north.
“I want to remind us that the president has done something that is significant and if he can pursue this to the end, it will be that there is no northern leader of my lifetime that has done what the president has done for the north.”
He encouraged the people of the north to view the tax reforms as an opportunity, particularly highlighting the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development.
According to Dogara, this new ministry has the potential to unlock significant economic opportunities for the region. He also pointed out that the north could thrive independently, even in the absence of the value-added tax (VAT).
“The creation of the livestock ministry is the global business around that; the global market size of dairies, of beef. In the next three years, we will rise to about $2.5 trillion,” Dogara said.
“So if in the north, we are able to organise ourselves in such a way that we can honour just 5 percent of this global market size of diaries and beef, I tell you, that gives us $250 billion.
“We don’t need VAT from any state in Nigeria to survive. The North can survive on its own. We are the most endowed part of Nigeria and don’t joke about it.
“If you are in doubt, find out from Australia how much they are raking from just mining minerals. There’s gold everywhere in the north. We have all the resources. We can survive.”
On October 3, President Bola Tinubu called on the National Assembly to review and pass four crucial tax reform bills, including the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Tax Administration Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill. In a significant shift, the president also proposed repealing the existing law that established the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and replacing it with the Nigeria Revenue Service.
The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), representing the 19 northern states, swiftly expressed its opposition to the proposed reforms.
During a meeting with the Northern Traditional Rulers Council at the Kaduna Government House on October 28, the governors collectively urged the National Assembly to reject any legislation perceived as detrimental to the interests of the northern region.
They emphasised the importance of ensuring that national policies and programs are implemented in a way that guarantees fairness and prevents the marginalization of any region.
In response to these concerns, the presidency sought to reassure the Northern governors on October 31, clarifying that the proposed tax reforms were not aimed at disadvantaging any part of the country.
The administration affirmed that the reforms were designed with the overarching goal of enhancing the well-being of all Nigerians and improving the efficiency of the national tax system for the benefit of every region.
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Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl
Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl
The police in Lagos on Friday, charged two men before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defiling an 11- year-old girl.
The defendants are: Prince Tomnyie, 40, a businessman, who resides at Agege, and Micheal Adenuga, 24, a furniture maker, who resides at Atere Street in Lekki.
They are standing trial on charges of defilement, and had each pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji told the court that they committed the offence sometimes in December 2024, and September 2025, at Langbasa Ajah and Igbara Lekki, Lagos .
The prosecutor alleged that the victim’s father, had taken his daughter for medical check and it was discovered that the minor had been defiled.
The prosecution alleged that the victim had told her father that his friend, Tomnyie, defiled her sometimes ago.
Ademigbuji alleged that the victim also mentioned the second defendant’s name who lives in their neigbourhood.
The offence contravenes the provisons of section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr L. A Owolabi, granted the defendants bail in the sum of of N600,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until March 5, for mention. (NAN)
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Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free
Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free
The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has insisted that bail is free, and called on the public to report any officer asking for money to release a suspect on bail.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
Adeh spoke in reaction to public outcry that some police officers were demanding money to release suspects on bail in the territory.
She said the report of the erring officers would serve as a deterrent to others, adding that it was fraudulent to demand for money to release a suspect on bail.
Adeh blamed the yielding to such fraudulent demand on ignorance on the part of the victims who refused to stand on their rights.
“A similar case was reported where an officer demanded money to release a suspect on bail and when the matter was reported, we requested for evidence from the victim.
“The evidence was provided because the money was transferred to the officer’s account and actions are being taken on the issue.
“So, I encourage the public to take advantage of the FCT Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU) lines on 08107314192 to report such misconduct with evidence,” she said.
Adeh urged the public to always insist on their rights and refuse any form of payment to release a suspect on bail.(NAN)
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Former President sentenced to five years in prison by Court
Former President sentenced to five years in prison by Court
South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol was on Friday sentenced to five years in prison for obstruction of justice.
The Seoul Central District Court found that the 65-year-old conservative, with the help of the presidential security service, had tried to prevent his own arrest and deleted multiple documents related to the investigation against him.
Yoon shocked the nation by imposing martial law on December 3, 2024, amid a budget dispute with the opposition, plunging the country into a political crisis.
He justified the drastic measure as necessary to protect South Korea’s democratic order and accused the left-leaning opposition of being infiltrated by communists with ties to China and North Korea, though he provided no evidence for these claims.
In a separate trial, prosecutors have sought the death penalty for Yoon on charges of incitement, with a verdict expected on February 19.
While the death penalty remains legally in force in South Korea, it has not been carried out for nearly 30 years.
Yoon’s actions previously alarmed international investors and led to withheld investments, damaging the reputation of South Korea as a political and economic model for the region.
Since last summer, South Korea has been led by President Lee Jae Myung, a left-leaning centrist and long-time political rival of Yoon. (dpa/NAN)
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