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NDUME THE PETREL AND TINUBUS TAX REFORMS OF TROUBLE.By: Inuwa Bwala

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NDUME THE PETREL AND TINUBUS TAX REFORMS OF TROUBLE.By: Inuwa Bwala

Intrigues, intimidation, blacknail,bribes, and lobbying were said to be part of the strategies used in the moves to get the 4 Tax Reform Bills presented to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu passed.

Unconfirmed reports had it that, Senators were offered N50m each, while N30m was dangled before each member of the House of Representatives.

Recalcitrant Senators and members were either threatened or blackmailed, even as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s foot soldiers employed lobbying tactics to get the bills passed.

But like the infamous Third Term Bill of the Olusegun Obasanjo era, the bills seem to be heading for the dustbin. Nigerians, especially Northerners, have never been so united in opposing a particular government policy, as they did over the obvious ill-fated tax reform bill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In what could be described as a courageous stance against their own government, members of the rulling All Progressives Congress, APC, were in the vanguard of campaigning against the bill and may eventually shoot it down.

Both Senators and members of the House of Representatives, seem to tow the lines of the Northern Governors Forum, the Arewa Consultative Forum and the National Economic Council: all of whom advocated for the withdrawal of the bills, to allow for wider consultations and Public sensitization.

To them, the tax reform bills are delicate and require a deeper reflection on the mood and socio-economic realities of the country, before presentation, and passage.

In the face of attempts by their leadership to have the bills sail through, the lawmakers were vehement in opposing the passage of the bills, arguing that the mood of the country and the socio- economic realities in Nigeria cannot accommodate the assumed bebefits.

The petrel in the red chambers, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume: who represents Borno South Senatorial District, seem to have spoken the minds of other Nigerians, in the crusade against the tax bills.

To him, the benefits of the bill were only apparent to the President and his tax reform experts, but the generality of Nigerians are bound to suffer in the long run, if the bills are allowed.

Ndume, during plenary and in an interview with Channels Televission insists that the seeming desperation on the part of the leadership of National Assembly smacks of a plot to further deprive Nigerians of the dividends of democracy.

Ndume’s position was re-echoed in the House of Representative, where members shouted down attempts by the Speaker, Honorable Abbas, to get a soft landing for the bills.
While the Senate President, Godswill Akpadio seem to have had his way with the bills, using the gavel: referring all four bills to the Finance Committee, the story with the House of Representatives is a different ball game.

Debates on the bill have been differed for Tuesday in the House of Representatives apparently buying time to further lobby. But most vocal memberst of the house: names with held told me in confidence that, since the law requires the passage of the bills by both chambers of the National Assembly, any action taken by the Senate will be an exercise in futility, as the House of Representative is determined to shoot the bills down.

Whatever becomes the fate of the President’s four tax reform bills, it is clear that, the Executive and the leadership of the National Assembly may have their ways but as Senator Ndume said, the lawmakers will have their says.

NDUME THE PETREL AND TINUBUS TAX REFORMS OF TROUBLE.By: Inuwa Bwala

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Bandit abduct road construction worker in Katsina as security forces intensify search and rescue

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Bandit abduct road construction worker in Katsina as security forces intensify search and rescue

By: Zagazola Makama

A search-and-rescue operation has been launched to secure the release of a road construction worker abducted by gunmen in Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Zagazola learnt that the incident occurred at about 7:14 p.m. on Thursday along the Kunduru–Kadanya feeder road, when unknown assailants reportedly laid an ambush and kidnapped one Kabiru Bature, a 35-year-old driver attached to Stantech Road Construction Company.

The sources said that security forces were immediately mobilised to the area, blocked all potential escape routes, and initiated a cordon-and-search operation aimed at rescuing the victim and apprehending the perpetrators.

The troops have been deployed to track the movements of the kidnappers, believed to have fled into the surrounding forest.

Efforts were ongoing as of the time of filing this report to rescue the victim safely and bring the abductors to justice.

Bandit abduct road construction worker in Katsina as security forces intensify search and rescue

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Troops repel Boko Haram attack in Konduga

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Troops repel Boko Haram attack in Konduga

By: Zagazola Makama

The Troops of Operation HADIN KAI , in collaboration with police tactical teams and local hunters, have repelled a Boko Haram/ISWAP attack on Goni Dinari village in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

Sources said the attack occurred at about 5:56 a.m. on Friday when suspected Boko Haram terrorists invaded the village and set some houses ablaze.

The troops immediately alerted, leading to a swift joint response by troops, police tactical teams, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local hunters.

“The attack was successfully repelled and normalcy has since been restored to the area,”sources said.

Troops had deployed to the village for confidence-building patrols, while monitoring and surveillance operations continued.

Troops repel Boko Haram attack in Konduga

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Pockets of attacks on our communities will never deter us from keeping the peace….Kadafur

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Jaha and his team during their visit to the Shehu

Pockets of attacks on our communities will never deter us from keeping the peace….Kadafur

By: Bodunrin Kayode

The Deputy Governor of Borno state Usman Kadafur has said the recent attacks on certain communities in the state will not deter the efforts of the government in restoring the peace for residents.

He stated this during a visit by the House of Reps. Committee on Insurance and Actuarial led by it’s chair Usman Jaha
who also represents Gwoza/Chibok/Damboa federal constituency in Borno State.

The committee members had met in the the office of the Deputy governor in the Borno state government house in Maiduguri during the week where they intimated him about their retreat.p

Responding to their visit, the Deputy Governor had said that despite the challenges and destruction caused by insurgency the state government has rebuilt affected communities through its resettlement initiative and rekindled the resilience of the people.

He noted that the state government’s collective achievements against terrorism will not be deterred because peace restoration in the the state is paramount adding that the Zulum government is consolidating at the present post insurgency era.

The Chairman, Reps. Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Usman Jaha also visited the Shehu of Borno Dr Abubakar Garbai Elkanemi where his members had a session with the monarch going down memory lane on how the lingering insurgency war.

Speaking on behalf of the Committee and members of his delegation, reps member Jaha lauded the Shehu of Borno for their exemplary leadership at the traditional level which has brought about relative peace and development in the state.

He said, Maiduguri was chosen as venue to carry out their retreat, because, they believed that the whole World would know that peace has actually returned after a decade of atrocities posed by insurgents.

The Lawmaker added that, their engagement “will focus on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision to reposition the economy for better service delivery and development, considering the Federal Government’s determination towards achieving sustainable growth by strengthening Legislation, Insurance Regulation, Protection, Financial System (LIRPFS), and ensuring its stability to the public”.

He observed that, the retreat will also focus on how to tackle financial disruptions, which are events or situations that have the capacity to change the way things are done and are always associated with opportunities and challenges in the country.

The Lawmaker also appreciated the sacrifices of the Military and other security agencies in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists, which he noted has paved the way for the peace and development in the state and the North East sub-region.

Responding, the Shehu of Borno, Dr. Abubakar Garbai had praised Usman Jaha and his team, made up of over 70 members for choosing Maiduguri, the state capital as venue to conduct their 2- Day 3rd Quarter 2025 Retreat.

The Monarch posited that, Borno which had witnessed series of deadly Boko Haram attacks is now getting out of its wounds as peace has relatively returned within a large portion of the state.

Dr. Abubakar Garbai lauded Jaha Babawo and other members of the delegation for not only choosing Maiduguri as a safe place to conduct the exercise, but for finding time to visit him.

He went down memory lane on the historical challenges that were staged against the people of Borno State, such as the Rabi, Maitatsine among others, adding that they were all conquered by the resilient people in the state, even as he expressed optimism that the Boko Haram conflict would soon be defeated for total peace and development of the state.

“Your coming here into my palace is a clear testimony of your respect for the traditional institution. Let me commend you all choosing Maiduguri as a place to conduct your retreat.

“We call on many Committees of the House and other institutions or organizations to emulate you by visiting Borno, the Home of Peace for their retreats and other engagements”. stated the Monarch.

Pockets of attacks on our communities will never deter us from keeping the peace….Kadafur

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