News
Senate confirms Security Service Chiefs
By Matthew Denis
The Senate on Thursday confirmed the Security Chiefs appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu few weeks ago.
President Tinubu in a letter sent to the Red Chamber of the National Assembly requesting their screening and confirmation last week.
They are Major General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, Rear Admiral Emmanuel I. Ogalla Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), IGP Kayode Egbetokun (Acting Inspector-General of Police), Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye (Chief of Defense Intelligence) appointed by President Bola Tinubu.
Their confirmation followed the screening of the top brass by the upper chamber in a motion moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Bamidele Opeyemi on the provisions of Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004.
Recall that the visitors as they were earlier addressed before their confirmation were given two minutes each to introduce themselves before the Chamber dissolved into a Committee of the whole behind closed doors at 12.42pm.
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio shortly after the screening in a closed-door session from 12.42pm to 2.59pm informed that the service chiefs answered questions on defence-related matters and topical issues.
The Senate, upon resumption of plenary on Thursday, started the screening of the service chiefs, with each of them mounting the podium to speak on how they will tackle insecurity in the country if confirmed.
President Tinubu on June 19, 2023 three weeks after his inauguration had earlier removed all service chiefs in Nigeria and appointed new ones whom he directed to resume with immediate effect.
Those affected in the unprecedented shakeup include Alkali Usman who was removed as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Lucky Irabor, sacked as the Chief of Defence Staff; Faruk Yahaya, retired as the Chief of Army Staff; Awwal Gambo, removed as the Chief of Naval Staff; and Isiaka Amao, retired as Chief of Air Staff.
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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