₦airaland Forum

The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed that no fewer than eight persons were killed following coordinated attacks by gunmen on Kaiwa, Gelawu, and Gebbe villages in Shanga Local Government Area of the state.

The attacks, which occurred without warning, reportedly triggered widespread panic and forced many residents to flee to neighbouring communities and nearby bushes for safety.

Confirming the incident to our correspondent the spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, said seven people died during the attacks, while another victim later succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment.

He added that one injured person is currently responding to medical care.

According to Usman, security agencies have launched coordinated operations across the affected areas, with intensified patrols and surveillance aimed at preventing further attacks.

“Security agencies have sustained coordinated operations within the affected areas, while intensified patrols and surveillance are ongoing to forestall further breaches,” he said, noting that additional details could not be disclosed as the operation is still ongoing.

Residents described the attacks as devastating, saying the communities had not experienced such violence in many years.

“The entire area is in shock. People are afraid to return home,” a resident said.

Security operatives have since been deployed to the affected villages to restore calm, while residents have appealed to the state government to strengthen security in the area.

Coming From a Liar — Nigerians Knock Wike Over ‘’The Kind of Money Governors Have Now, I Never Saw It’ Comment

Nyesom Wike, Bola Tinubu’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, is facing backlash from Nigerians over his comment about governors having a lot of money now, which he said he never saw.

The criticism comes after Wike made the remark on Monday during his end-of -the-year media chat.

‘’Money can make you not see well, the kind of money governors have now, we never saw it. This is why most of them make mistakes, they think everything is about money. Money has its own limitations; there are areas money can’t reach, but goodwill can’’

Wike’s comments were not specifically directed at any governor, however, there are augments that the former Rivers Governor could be referring to his former ally, Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde following their recent impasse.

Some also argue that the former River governor could be referring to his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, whom he recently criticised for publicly stating that he met about N600 billion in state coffers after the lifting of emergency rule.

In the video shared on X and sighted by Parallel Facts news where Wike made the claims, a cross section of Nigerians slammed the FCT minister for lying, saying his comments represent nothing but deception.

President Bola Tinubu has approved the cancellation of a substantial portion of the debts owed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to the Federation Account, wiping off about $1.42bn and N5.57tn after a reconciliation of records between both parties.

This is contained in a document prepared by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and presented at the November meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee.

The report, titled “Report of October 2025 Revenue Collection Presented at the Federation Account Allocation Committee Meeting Held on 18th November 2025,” was obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday.

In the section headed “Recovery from NNPC Ltd Outstanding Obligations,” the commission said the debts earlier reported at the October 2025 FAAC meeting stood at “$1,480,610,652.58 and N6,332,884,316,237.13 for PSC, DSDP, RA & MCA Liftings and JV & PSC Royalty Receivables respectively.”

It disclosed that the Presidency had now approved that most of those balances be removed from the Federation’s books.

The document stated, “However, the commission recently received a Presidential Approval to nil off the outstanding obligations of NNPC Ltd as at 31st December 2024 as submitted by the Stakeholder Alignment Committee on the Reconciliation of Indebtedness between NNPC Ltd and the Federation.”

Providing a breakdown of the affected balances, the NUPRC added, “Consequently, out of $1,480,610,652.58 and N6,332,884,316,237.13, the affected outstanding obligations that have been nil off are $1,421,727,723.00 N5,573,895,769,388.45. The commission has passed the appropriate accounting entries as approved.”

An analysis of the figures shows that the presidential directive wiped out about 96 per cent of the dollar-denominated debt and about 88 per cent of the naira-denominated obligations previously reported as outstanding.

The document indicates that the approval followed the recommendations of the Stakeholder Alignment Committee on the Reconciliation of Indebtedness between NNPC Ltd and the Federation, which reviewed the company’s royalty and lifting-related liabilities up to December 31, 2024.

Despite the cancellation of the legacy balances, fresh debts built up in 2025 remain. In a separate section titled “NNPC Ltd Outstanding Obligations,” the regulator disclosed that statutory obligations arising between January and October 2025 still stood at “$56,808,752.32 and N1,021,550,672,578.87 for PSC & MCA Liftings and JV Royalty Receivables respectively.”

The commission added that part of the dollar component was recovered in the month under review, stating: “However, the commission received $55,003,997.00 in the month under review from the outstanding, leaving a balance of $1,804,755.32 and N1,021,550,672,578.87. The amount of $55,003,997.00 received is part of the total collection reported above for sharing by the Federation this month.”

The NUPRC confirmed that it had already implemented the directive in the Federation Account, noting that “the Commission has passed the appropriate accounting entries as approved.”

The approval effectively resolves long-running disputes over NNPC’s legacy indebtedness to the Federation, while current liabilities from ongoing operations continue to be tracked for future recovery.

However, the debt cancellation comes at a time when the commission is struggling to meet its revenue projections for the year, The PUNCH learnt. Data from the NUPRC document seen by The PUNCH showed that against a 2025 approved monthly revenue target of N1.204tn, the commission recorded N660.04bn as actual collection for November 2025, leaving a shortfall of N544.76bn for the month.

Royalty payments on oil and gas, which account for the bulk of upstream revenues, fell sharply below target. The approved monthly royalty projection was N1.144tn, compared to N605.26bn actually collected in November, indicating a deficit of N538.92bn.

Cumulatively, as of November 30, 2025, the NUPRC’s total approved revenue stood at N13.25tn, while actual cumulative collections were N7.60tn, representing a revenue gap of N5.65tn. For royalties alone, cumulative approved collections stood at N12.59tn against N6.96tn actually received, leaving a shortfall of N5.63tn.

The document further showed a drop in revenue collections compared to the previous month. While N873.10bn was collected in October 2025, the figure declined to N660.04bn in November.

The PUNCH earlier reported that there was a clash between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and Periscope Consulting, the audit firm hired by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to examine an alleged under remittance of oil revenue totalling $42.37bn (about N12.91tn) to the Federation Account between 2011 and 2017.

The dispute, revived by fresh submissions from both sides, forced the Federation Account Allocation Committee to mandate a joint reconciliation session to determine the true state of remittances and resolve the long-running impasse.

According to a document seen by The PUNCH, the FAAC Sub-Committee confirmed that NNPC had formally rejected the audit findings, insisting that no outstanding revenue is owed to the Federation Account for the period under review.

The national oil company maintained that all crude oil proceeds and associated earnings were fully accounted for, disputing Periscope’s claims of significant underpayment.

However, Periscope Consulting flatly disagreed with NNPC Limited’s defence, maintaining that its audit uncovered substantial gaps in remittances and that the alleged $42.37bn shortfall remained unresolved.

The report read, “NNPC Limited submitted their response regarding $42,373,896,555.00 under remittance to the Federation Account as contained in the report of Periscope Consulting. Recall that Periscope Consulting was the Consultant engaged by the Governors’ Forum to examine NNPC Limited under remittance to the Federation Account.

“NNPC Limited responded that all revenues due to the Federation have been properly accounted for and no outstanding amounts for the period under review.”

This disagreement has pushed both sides into a stalemate, with the consultants accusing the oil company of providing explanations that do not reconcile with the audited data.

The FAAC sub-committee, noting the conflicting positions, directed that NNPC Ltd and Periscope Consulting must meet jointly to harmonise records and “close out” the matter. It added that the reconciliation process remains ongoing.

“Responding, Periscope Consulting disagreed with NNPC Ltd’s position; hence, the Sub-Committee directed that there should be a joint meeting with the two parties to close out on the issue. This assignment is a work in progress,” it added.

Speaking earlier with The PUNCH, a renowned Prof Emeritus of Petroleum Economics, Wumi Iledare, said the alleged $42.37bn under-remittance recorded between 2011 and 2017 reflects long-standing flaws in Nigeria’s pre–Petroleum Industry Act regime.

According to him, the former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation operated with overlapping roles that made revenue reconciliation cumbersome and frequently disputed. Iledare described the controversy as a “legacy problem,” stressing that similar discrepancies can be avoided only through disciplined implementation of the PIA, real-time monitoring, and continuous independent audits.

The World Bank earlier accused NNPCL of failing to fully remit oil revenues to the Federation Account, thereby undermining fiscal transparency and macroeconomic stability.

The bank noted that while the company was corporatised in 2021 to operate as a commercial entity, it still retains monopolistic control over crude oil sales and foreign exchange inflows, leading to persistent gaps between reported earnings and actual remittances.

“NNPC Ltd has remained a key source of revenue leakages,” the World Bank stated, urging the government to “strengthen oversight, ensure full disclosure of oil proceeds, and improve transparency in federation revenue management.”

The institution said the state-owned company has only been remitting 50 per cent of revenue gains from the removal of the Premium Motor Spirit subsidy to the Federation Account.

It said out of the N1.1tn revenue from crude sales and other income in 2024, the NNPC Ltd only remitted N600bn, leaving a deficit of N500bn unaccounted for.

“Despite the subsidy being fully removed in October 2024, NNPC Ltd started transferring the revenue gains to the Federation only in January 2025. Since then, it has been remitting only 50 per cent of these gains, using the rest to offset past arrears,” the World Bank stated.

Since assuming office, the NNPC Ltd Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, has consistently pledged to entrench transparency, efficiency, and accountability in the company’s operations.

He has repeatedly assured Nigerians and the global investment community that the company’s books would be transparent and that its dealings with the Federation Account would be fully compliant with fiscal rules.

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is unwell and was hurriedly flown out of Nigeria to Europe for medical reasons.

In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, Sowore stated that Tinubu’s health condition necessitated the trip, arguing that the president was merely “managing himself” before his sudden departure.

Sowore also raised concerns about the health of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, alleging that he is gravely ill, and questioned why the country continues to be governed by leaders battling serious health challenges.

“Nigeria’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu is unwell just managing himself, reason he’s abruptly flown to “Europe” today @Senator_Akpabio is practically dying, why is Nigeria governed by sick people?” Sowore wrote.

While stressing that illness itself is not a crime, the activist criticised what he described as the practice of using Nigeria as “health insurance” for leaders who seek medical care abroad.

“And whereas nothing is wrong with illnesses it is callous to use a country as health insurance for sick leaders,” he added.

Earlier on Sunday, SaharaReporters reported that President Tinubu had departed Lagos for a trip to Europe.

A statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy on Sunday, described the trip as continuation of “his end-of-year break and ahead of his official trip to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates”.

While the President’s specific European destination was officially withheld, SaharaReporters has repeatedly reported that his previous trips to Paris were, in reality, disguised medical visits.

“His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed AlNahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has invited President Tinubu to participate in the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026) Summit, which will take place in the emirate early in January,” the statement said.

“The weeklong summit is an annual event that mobilises leaders from government, business, and society to chart the next era of sustainable development.

“With the theme ‘The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go’, ADSW will connect ambition with action across innovation, finance, and people, showcasing how the world can move forward with confidence.”

According to the statement, the President will return to the country after the Summit.

A recent video from Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, showed Senate President Akpabio appearing weak as he exited a vehicle, fueling speculation about his health.

Earlier reports claimed he was flown abroad for treatment, but Akpabio later denied being ill, insisting he only took a brief vacation in London after official duties in Geneva.

Upon arrival, he was welcomed by senators, aides, and supporters at the presidential wing in Abuja, where he expressed excitement to be back.

In interviews, Akpabio emphasized that he was healthy and actively engaged in legislative duties, denying the illness reports.

What began as a routine legislative reform of the Nigerian tax system by the Bola Tinubu administration has transmogrified and metastasized into an allegation of unexampled transmutation of a duly passed law to an illegality.

It’s by now well known that a law passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the president may have been materially altered after assent and then presented to the public as binding law. If this allegation is established beyond all shadows of doubt, Nigeria would be confronting the specter of an illegality fraudulently constituted as law.

Interestingly, the discovery wasn’t brought to public notice by secretive, conscientious whistleblowers in the bureaucracy or from eagle-eyed civil society audits. It came from within the legislature itself.

A member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsammad Dasuki, raised a point of privilege after personally comparing the harmonized bill passed by both chambers with the version of the tax laws published in the official gazette. He found that the documents did not match.

His discovery was the product of days of rigorous, studious and painstaking examination of Votes and Proceedings, committee harmonization records and the gazetted text. He realized that he voted for one thing, but the country was being governed by another.

That intervention sparked a chain reaction. Other lawmakers requested certified true copies of the assented bill to verify whether the president had signed the same text that was now in circulation. According to multiple reports, those requests were denied. The refusal to release certified copies deepened suspicion and transformed what could have been dismissed as a clerical misunderstanding into a full-blown institutional crisis.

When legislators are blocked from seeing the law that they passed and that the president signed, the issue verges on criminal constitutional transgression that must not be swept under the carpet.

While full official disclosure is still pending, several discrepancies have been repeatedly cited by lawmakers, journalists and civil society groups. These include expansions of the discretionary powers of tax authorities beyond what the National Assembly approved, alterations to reporting and oversight obligations, changes in enforcement thresholds, and adjustments that potentially increase executive control over revenue administration.

These are not innocent, unintentional clerical slips. They go to the meaning, scope and intent of the law. In short, they change who has power to tax Nigerians, how that power is exercised and to whom it is accountable.

The distinction matters. All legislative systems experience clerical errors. A misplaced word or a misnumbered section does not invalidate a statute. But when alterations confer new powers, remove safeguards, or shift institutional balance, they cross from error into illegality.

A gazette cannot lawfully create what the legislature did not enact or what the president did not assent to. Publication is supposed to merely provide evidence of the existence of the law. It can invent a law that hasn’t been passed.

The official responses so far have been evasive and contradictory. Government representatives initially insisted that there was only one authentic version of the law and that claims of alteration were partisan, ill-natured rumors. But that posture is difficult to reconcile with subsequent developments.

For example, a December 26, 2025, press statement signed by Akin Rotimi, House Spokesman and Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said the National Assembly has now constituted an ad hoc committee to investigate the sequence of events from harmonization to assent to gazetting.

More tellingly, Rotimi said, the leadership of the legislature has directed that the tax laws be re-gazetted and that certified true copies of the versions duly passed by both chambers be issued.

Re-gazetting is not a neutral act. It is an implicit admission that the existing gazette cannot be confidently treated as an accurate record of legislative intent. If nothing were amiss, there would be nothing to authenticate. The attempt to frame this as a routine administrative clarification rings hollow. Laws are not re-gazetted in the absence of doubt about their authenticity.

Supporters of the government have urged the public to trust the president’s integrity and to avoid speculation. The issue, however, is not whether the president is personally trustworthy but whether the law now being enforced is the law he signed. No amount of rhetorical reassurance can substitute for producing the signed text and allowing a side-by-side comparison with the gazetted version.

There is no precedent in the world that I have found for this kind of illegality. In the United States, the much-cited Deficit Reduction Act controversy of 2006 involved a discrepancy between House and Senate versions due to a clerical transmission error. The president signed the enrolled bill that was presented to him.

Courts upheld it under the enrolled bill doctrine, which treats the signed text as conclusive. Crucially, there was no claim that the law was altered after presidential assent.

In the Philippines, in 1964, there was a case where the wrong version of a bill was signed by the president. Legislative leaders later disowned the enrolled copy and treated the signature as invalid. Again, the error occurred before or at assent, not after. Once discovered, it was confronted as a mistake. It wasn’t normalized.

Nigeria’s case, if the allegations are borne out, is more disturbing. Here, the claim is that the president signed the correct bill but that the authoritative law published afterward materially departs from it.

Comparative constitutional practice offers no comfort here. Stable legal systems do not recognize post-assent textual mutation as valid law. Where gazetting errors occur, they are corrected. They do not become the basis for enforcement.

This raises an unavoidable question: why would anyone alter a law after it has been passed and signed? Motives can only be inferred from circumstantial evidence, but the inferences are troubling.

Expanding the powers of tax authorities in a period of fiscal stress creates incentives for bureaucratic overreach. Removing or weakening legislative-oversight provisions reduces accountability. Centralizing discretion in the executive arm simplifies revenue extraction while insulating decision makers from scrutiny. These are not abstract possibilities. They align closely with the specific alterations that have been alleged.

There is an even more unsettling implication. If a major tax reform law can be altered after assent without immediate detection, what confidence can citizens have in the integrity of other statutes? Nigeria has passed hundreds of laws over the years, many of them technical, complex and rarely scrutinized line by line after gazetting. The discovery of this discrepancy raises the chilling possibility that post-assent alterations may not be unprecedented in practice.

That possibility should alarm every Nigerian regardless of political affiliation. Law is the foundation of collective life. If the text of the law is unstable, if it can be surreptitiously modified after constitutional procedures have been completed, then legality itself becomes provisional. Governance slides from rule of law to rule by document manipulation.

The seriousness of this violation cannot be overstated. If officials altered the tax law knowingly, they did not merely breach administrative rules. They subverted the Constitution. Such conduct would amount to forgery, abuse of office and an assault on democratic sovereignty. It would mean that Nigerians are being taxed under provisions that were never lawfully enacted.

This is why a thorough, transparent investigation is not optional. It must establish a clear documentary chain: the harmonized bill passed by both chambers, the exact text transmitted for assent, the document signed by the president and the version published in the gazette. Any divergence must be accounted for, step by step, with named responsibility. Institutional reviews that end in vague recommendations will not suffice.

If culpability is established, punishment must be severe. Anything less would invite repetition. As I always say, there is no greater enabler of habitual relapses into the same crime than the absence of consequences for committing the crimes.

The alteration of law after assent is not a victimless bureaucratic shortcut. It is a constitutional crime with nationwide consequences. Deterrence requires more than quiet corrections. It requires accountability that is visible, proportionate and unmistakable.

This episode can either be buried under procedural language and political loyalty, or it can become a moment of constitutional self-correction. A tax law that is an illegality cannot be the foundation of fiscal reform. The integrity of the lawmaking process is itself a public good. Without it, no reform, however well intentioned, can claim legitimacy.

The leadership of the senate and house of representatives has directed Kamoru Ogunlana, clerk to the national assembly, to work with relevant agencies in the executive branch in a bid to re-gazette the tax laws.

Abdussamad Dasuki, member of the lower legislative chamber, had alleged that there are differences between the tax reform laws passed by parliament and the gazetted copy available to the public.

The alleged alteration sparked public outrage, with some Nigerians calling for a suspension of the implementation of the laws.

The reformed tax law implementation has been scheduled to begin in January.

The tax laws are Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025.

In a statement, Akin Rotimi, spokesperson of the house of representatives, said the national assembly asked the clerk to also issue certified true copies of the versions passed by both chambers.

A gazette is an official government publication that formally publishes laws and other legal notices after they have been approved by the legislature and signed into law by the president.

The gazette serves as an authoritative public record and is relied on by government agencies, courts and the general public as evidence of the law in force.

He said the national assembly is “undertaking an institutional review to establish the sequence of events and to identify any factors that may have contributed to the circumstances surrounding the legislative and administrative handling of the Acts”.

“This includes a careful examination of any lapses, irregularities, or external interferences, should any be established,” the statement reads.

“The review is being conducted in full conformity with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Acts Authentication Act, Cap. A4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, the Standing Orders of both Chambers, and established parliamentary practice.

“In the course of this review, and in the interest of clarity, accuracy, and the integrity of the legislative record, the leadership of the National Assembly, under the President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, has directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to re-gazette the Acts and issue Certified True Copies of the versions duly passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly.

“This administrative step is intended solely to authenticate and accurately reflect the legislative decisions of the National Assembly.

“This review is strictly confined to institutional processes and procedures. It does not constitute, imply, or concede any defect in the exercise of legislative authority by the House of Representatives or the Senate.

“It is undertaken without prejudice to the powers, functions, or actions of any other arm or agency of government, and without prejudice to any rights, obligations, or legal processes arising under the Constitution or any other applicable law.

“Members of the public are respectfully urged to allow the National Assembly’s institutional processes to proceed without speculation or conjecture.

“The leadership of the House of Representatives remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the faithful discharge of its constitutional responsibility as custodian of the legislative authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The Presidency has dismissed reports that the Chief of Staff to the President has been replaced.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency described as false and misleading claims circulating on social media that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had replaced his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, with his Principal Private Secretary, Hakeem Muri-Okunola.

There is absolutely no truth to this story. We advise Nigerians to disregard it entirely.

The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.

The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.

We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media.

This means that a cumulative sum of N54.7 trillion is planned as new borrowings in 2026, 2027, and 2028.

Areview of the recently approved Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) of the Nigerian government for the 2026–2028 period by SaharaReporters shows that a total of N54.7 trillion is projected to be borrowed across the three fiscal years.

This means that a cumulative sum of N54.7 trillion is planned as new borrowings in 2026, 2027, and 2028.

According to the MTEF document, new borrowings for 2026 are estimated at N17.8 trillion. Borrowings for 2027 are projected at N21.1 trillion, while N15.8 trillion is planned for 2028.

A breakdown of the figures shows that in 2026, domestic borrowings are expected to amount to N14.3 trillion, while international borrowings are estimated at N3.5 trillion.

In 2027, domestic borrowings are projected to rise to N16.9 trillion, with international borrowings planned at N4.2 trillion.

Further review indicates that in 2028, domestic borrowings are estimated at N12.6 trillion, while international borrowings are expected to total N3.1 trillion.

A previous review of Debt Management Office (DMO) data by SaharaReporters showed that Nigeria’s public debt rose to N149.3 trillion as of March 31, 2025.

This represents an increase from the N144.6 trillion recorded as of December 2024.

According to the data, domestic debt increased by N4.4 trillion between December 2024 and March 2025, rising from N74.3 trillion in December 2024 to N78.7 trillion as of March 2025.

Meanwhile, external debt grew by N350 billion, increasing from N70.28 trillion in December 2024 to N70.63 trillion as of March 2025.

Nigeria’s debt profile has continued on an upward trajectory. While total public debt stood at N144 trillion in December 2024, it had earlier been recorded at N142 trillion as of September 2024.

During that same period, external debt amounted to N68.8 trillion, while domestic debt stood at N73.4 trillion.

The data also showed that as of September 2024, the federal government alone owed N69.2 trillion in domestic debt, while states and the Federal Capital Territory accounted for N4.2 trillion.

These figures suggest that Nigeria has continued to rely heavily on domestic sources to finance its loan portfolio.

The published total debt profile is also significantly higher than the N134.2 trillion Nigeria owed as of June 2024.

As of June 2024, total external debt stood at N63 trillion, while domestic debt amounted to N71.2 trillion.

Out of this total, the federal government’s domestic debt was N66.9 trillion, while state governments accounted for N4.2 trillion.

The presidency on Monday weighed in on the controversy trailing the new tax laws scheduled to take effect on January 1 in the country.

This comes as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and several civil society organisations called for the suspension of the implementation of the laws.

A member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsamad Dasuki, recently raised concerns about what he described as discrepancies between tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions subsequently gazetted and made available to the public.

Dasuku argued that his legislative rights had been breached because the content of the gazetted tax laws did not reflect what lawmakers debated and approved on the floor of the House.

But speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, the Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, said what has been circulating in the media was fake.

“Before you can say there is a difference between what was gazette and what was passed, we have what has not been gazette. We don’t have what was passed,” he said.

“The official harmonised bills certified by the clerk, which the National Assembly sent to the President, we don’t have a copy to compare. Only the lawmakers can say authoritatively what we sent.

“It should be the House of Representatives or Senate version. It should be the harmonised version certified by the clerk. Even me, I cannot say that I have it. I only have what was presented to Mr President to sign.”

Oyedele stated that he reached out to the House of Representatives Committee regarding a particular Section 41 (, which states, “You have to pay a deposit of 20 per cent.”

He noted that the response given by the committee was that its members had not met on the issue.

“I know that particular provision is not in the final gazette, but it was in the draft gazette. Some people decided that they should write the report of the committee before the committee had met, and it had circulated everywhere.

“What is out there in the media did not come from the committee set up by the House of Representatives. I think we should allow them do the investigation,” Oyedele added.

President Bola Tinubu signed the four tax reform bills into law, marking what the government has described as the most significant overhaul of the country’s tax system in decades.

The tax reform laws, which faced stiff opposition from federal lawmakers from the northern part of the country before their passage, are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.

The laws include the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, all operating under a single authority, the Nigeria Revenue Service.

According to the Federal Government, the reforms are designed to simplify tax compliance, expand the tax base, eliminate overlapping taxes, and modernise revenue collection across federal, state, and local governments.

The management of FIRS confirmed the incident in a statement posted on its X account, explaining that the fire was detected early by on-duty security personnel, who immediately took steps to contain the situation before it escalated.

Afire outbreak triggered by an electrical fault on Saturday affected the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) headquarters in Abuja, damaging several offices on the fourth floor of the building.

The management of FIRS confirmed the incident in a statement posted on its X account, explaining that the fire was detected early by on-duty security personnel, who immediately took steps to contain the situation before it escalated.

According to the agency, emergency responders, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Fire Service, arrived promptly at the scene and successfully brought the fire under control, preventing it from spreading to other sections of the building.

FIRS said no life was lost in the incident, although a number of offices on the affected floor sustained damage as a result of the fire.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, though a full inquiry is ongoing,” FIRS said.

The service added that it has commenced a review of its internal safety measures, with plans to strengthen existing protocols to avert similar incidents in the future.

FIRS also expressed appreciation to emergency services and members of staff for their swift and coordinated response, which it said helped to ensure the safety of employees and minimise property damage.