Category: Featured

The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has called on President Bola Tinubu to reconcile with former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, fostering unity within the political fold. The monarch made the appeal during a visit by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FERMA, Chukwuemeka Agbasi, to his palace in Lagos.

Goronyo and Agbasi were in Lagos for a two-day working tour, inspecting facilities and commissioning key infrastructure projects in the state. Speaking during their visit, Oba Akiolu highlighted the need for unity among political leaders, stressing that forgiveness and collaboration are essential for national progress.

Meanwhile, Rauf Aregbesola, who served as Minister of Interior and a former Governor of Osun State, continues to mobilize support for the Omoluabi Progressives Caucus, a splinter group within the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

During a stakeholders’ meeting in Ilesa, Aregbesola reaffirmed the group’s commitment to reclaiming both the state and national leadership for unity and development. Addressing members, he emphasized the need for resilience, dedication, and adherence to the caucus’ core values of discipline, courage, and competence.

In a post on his verified X handle, Aregbesola expressed satisfaction with the growing membership of the Omoluabi Progressives Caucus. “The ongoing membership registration exercise has recorded remarkable growth. I encourage everyone to continue inviting more people to join our ranks and strengthen our collective resolve,” he said.

As the APC navigates internal divisions in Osun and other states, the Oba of Lagos’ call for reconciliation between Tinubu and Aregbesola is seen as a significant step towards fostering unity within the party. Both leaders, with a shared political history, are influential figures whose alignment could have far-reaching implications for the APC’s cohesion and success at both state and national levels.

Observers are keenly watching how these developments wil

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has condemned the arrest of human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, over alleged criminal libel, describing it as illegal. Farotimi’s arrest, which took place in Lagos on Tuesday, was disclosed by Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, in a post on his X handle.

In a statement issued shortly after, Falana criticized the arrest and demanded Farotimi’s unconditional release, asserting that Lagos State had decriminalized defamation over a decade ago.

“Lagos State is among the two states in Nigeria that have decriminalized defamation in its entirety,” Falana said. He referenced a 2021 Supreme Court ruling in the case of Aviomoh v Commissioner of Police & Anor., where Justice Helen Ogunwumiju affirmed that defamation was removed from Lagos’ criminal law in 2011.

Falana argued that the arrest contravened the legal position established by the court, adding, “In demanding Mr. Farotimi’s unconditional release from illegal custody, I wish to state, without any fear of contradiction, that the current state of the law prohibits such actions.”

The arrest has sparked widespread reactions from human rights activists and legal practitioners, who view it as a potential violation of Farotimi’s rights.

Farotimi, known for his outspoken views and activism, has long been a vocal advocate for justice and good governance in Nigeria. His detention has added to ongoing discussions about the balance between free speech and legal boundaries in the country.

As of the time of this report, there has been no official statement from the Lagos State Police Command regarding the arrest or the allegations of libel. Observers are closely monitoring developments as calls for Farotimi’s release continue to grow.

The Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has refuted claims by Northern governors and elites that they were not consulted on the controversial Tax Reform Bill. Speaking during a town hall meeting on the bill organized by Channels Television, Oyedele emphasized that consultations were extensive and inclusive.

The Tax Reform Bill, which has faced stiff opposition from Northern elites, particularly over its Value Added Tax (VAT) provisions, has sparked a national debate. Critics, including Senator Ali Ndume and Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, argue that the bill disproportionately favors Lagos State at the expense of the North.

The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill proposes significant changes to VAT distribution. Under Section 77, the federal government’s share of VAT revenue would reduce from 15% to 10%, while state governments would receive 55% and local government councils 35%. Additionally, 60% of the VAT allocation would be distributed based on consumption metrics.

Oyedele defended the reforms, asserting that the committee prioritized consultations. “We consulted. We had one session with the Governors’ Forum. They won’t say we didn’t consult them. They’re saying we need to consult more, which we agree with. But it is not correct to say that we did not consult,” he said.

The tax expert detailed the consultation process, which included engagements with the National Economic Council, finance commissioners, internal revenue service heads, and governors across geopolitical zones. However, Oyedele admitted that some governors were unavailable during these sessions.

On the contentious establishment of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) to replace the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Oyedele explained that the move was aimed at enhancing efficiency in revenue collection.

“Our revenue collection is less than 20% of what South Africa’s revenue service collects. This is not about scrapping agencies or introducing new taxes; it’s about institutional reform to optimize revenue,” he clarified.

The Lead Pastor of the Harvesters International Christian Center (HICC), Bolaji Idowu, will spend the night in the custody of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) of the Nigerian police in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for alleged N1.5billion fraud.

It should be recalled that earlier today, it was reported that the police operatives from the FCID were grilling Pastor Idowu, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

According to Sahara Reporters in an update report, a top police source at the FCID revealed that Pastor Idowu would be sleeping over in the police cell for the alleged crime.

“The case emanated from one of his pastors who duped several people in a real estate scheme,” one of the top sources revealed.

The police investigation showed that several billions of naira in the scheme were traced first to Pastor Bolaji’s church account and later to his personal account,” the source added.

A Customs officer, Tijani Kabiru, attached to the Oyo/Osun Command, his wife, and four of their children have died in a midnight inferno that engulfed their residence in Akankan Area of Ede, Osun State.

Reports say that residents woke to the heartbreaking news of the family’s demise, sparking panic and disbelief. The incident has left the community in shock and mourning.

A neighbour, Kola, who witnessed the tragic event, recalled, “I can’t say when the fire started, but we observed smoke there at about 3am.

“The response time of the firemen was not bad, but the house had been badly affected before the fire could be subdued. Kabiru, his wife, and four children were already burnt to death. But one of the children escaped.”

According to Kola, firefighters from the Ede Fire Station were promptly contacted after smoke was detected.

However, by the time they arrived, the fire had already consumed much of the house.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Osun State Fire Service, Ibraheem Adekunle, shared a statement signed by the Director of the Service, Mr. Olaniyi Alimi.

The statement reads, “We were informed of the incident via a distress call to our emergency number 08030808254 at 3:21 a.m. Our team from Ede Zonal Command proceeded to the scene, with a backup team joining from the Fire Service Headquarters in Abere.

“The address of the fire incident is Customs Tijani Kabiru Road, Akankan Area, Ede North LG. The street was named after the deceased, who was a Customs officer from the Oyo/Osun Command.

“Mr. Tijani Kabiru, reported to be in his late 40s, and his wife, said to be in her early 40s, lost their lives alongside four of their children — three boys and a girl — aged between three and 10 years. The estimated loss from the inferno is around N200 million, while property worth N500 million was saved.”

The remains of the deceased were handed over to officers from the A’ Division of the Nigeria Police Force.