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Nigerian Air Force intensifies operations against terrorists, criminals – CAS
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, says the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has continued to embark on a wide range of intensive air operations across operational theatres in the country with varying degree of success.
Abubakar said this on Wednesday in Abuja, while briefing members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Air Force, who paid an oversight visit to the NAF Headquarters.
He said the nation’s current security environment had remained fluid, dynamic and unpredictable.
According to him, while terrorists’ activities in the northeast and northwest have declined, “we have in recent times witnessed an escalation in the rate and frequency of kidnapping and hostage-taking by these same criminals in the region.”
The CAS said the recent coordinated spate of kidnapping of more than 200 school children in Kaduna, 15 in Sokoto and several others in Borno were clear pointers.
He noted that the threats posed by secessionists and oil thieves in the southeast and south-south regions, though on the decline, had also been a source of concern.
These situations, according to him, have been exercerbated as more Nigerians slip into poverty, occasioned by lack of jobs amid high cost of living, causing some to turn to crime.
“In spite of these challenges, the NAF has continued to embark on a wide range of intensive air operations.
“These include Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance, Air Interdiction and Armed Reconnaissance across operational theatres in the country, with varying degrees of success.
“These successes were made possible by the unwavering support of President Bola Tinubu, as evident in the recent acquisition and induction of various platforms with the most recent being the induction of 2 x T-129 ATAK Helicopters,” he said.
Abubakar said the NAF was currently faced with the major challenge of the high cost of aviation fuel, adding that the price of Jet A-1 had risen to almost N1,200 per litre as against the budgeted N360 per litre.
Other challenges, he said, included the need to enhance NAF’s tactical airlift capability to support both land and maritime forces in various theatres of operations as well as disaster relief efforts in remote areas.
The air chief said there was the need for air operations command and control infrastructure as well as enhanced air defence and airspace surveillance capabilities, among others.
In his response, Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Air Force, Kabiru Rurum, said the visit was in line with the provisions of sections 88 & 62 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Rurum said the visit was also in line with Order 20 (B) 13 of the Standing Orders of the 10th House of Representatives, aimed at nurturing a robust relationship between the NASS and the NAF.
He explained that the committee was a beacon of support and intervention in matters concerning budget allocation and implementation, policy amendments and public perception.
“We also stand in matters of transparency and community engagement which are brought to the forefront for discussion, understanding and possible legislative action,” he said.
He added that both parties could collectively explore avenues to strengthen NAF’s operational capacity through an open channel of communication and collaboration as well as understanding the current status and challenges faced by the service.
News
Stop using repressive laws to intimidate journalists – SERAP, NGE tell FG
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, and Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, have called on Nigerian authorities at all levels of government to stop using repressive and anti-media laws to target, intimidate and harass journalists, critics and media houses.
The groups made the demand after an interactive session on ‘the state of press freedom in Nigeria’ held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja.
In a joint statement, SERAP and NGE said that, “the government of President Bola Tinubu, the country’s 36 governors and FCT minister must now genuinely uphold press freedom, ensure access to information to all Nigerians, obey court judgments, and respect the rule of law”.
They expressed concerns about the escalating crackdown on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom and the flagrant disregard for the rule of law by authorities at all levels of government.
The groups note that the suppression of the press in recent times takes various forms ranging from extrajudicial to unlawful detentions, disappearances, malicious prosecutions and wrongful use of both legislation and law enforcement.
The statement read in part: “We would continue to speak truth to power and to hold authorities to account for their constitutional and international obligations including on freedom of expression and media freedom.
“Nigeria as a country has a long and unpleasant history of press gagging and clampdown on media freedom, which is evidence of extensive state censorship of media and in some cases, the utter control of state-owned media houses.
“This position has not changed considerably despite almost 25 years of unbroken democratic rule in the Fourth Republic.”
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FG adds 625MW to national grid – Minister
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Tax: Court orders FCT-IRS agency to seal off defaulting coys
A Magistrate Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) to seal off a company, Ifedi A.K. Nigeria Ltd, over allegations bordering on non-filing of annual returns.
The Magistrate, Janada Balami, gave the order after lawyer to FCT-IRS, Michael Towolawi, moved the application to the effect.
Towolawi told the court that the company had failed to file its annual returns from 2019 to 2023 in breach of Section 81 of the Personal Income Tax Act, LFN, 2004, and amended in 2011.
He said all efforts to make the company comply with the law proved abortive.
The lawyer, therefore, applied that the company be compel to appear before the court to explain why it acted in breach of the law.
Balami, who held that the application by the agency against the company had merit, accordingly granted same to seal the No 6, Rudolph Close, Off Katsina-Ala Street, Maitama, Abuja.
She, consequently, ordered the company, the sole defendant in the matter, to appear before the court on May 16.
The Director, Legal Services of the FCT-IRS, Festus Tsavar, told journalists after the proceeding that the service would move against companies that do not file their annual returns as provided by law.
“You know that we have a new minister in FCT that is doing a lot of projects and that hinges on money.
“And of course, you are aware that FCT has come out of TSA.
“So it is the internally generated revenue that will make the government of FCT to be able to do those projects completely within required time,” he said.
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