Oduduwa News

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.

The international cable television network, GOTV, has been accused of forcing Christian televangelism on Nigerian Muslims.

The allegation was made by an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). In a widely circulated press release signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the organization demanded stoppage of the use of ‘Faith’ channel on the first Channel of GOTV with immediate effect, describing it as offensive, nauseating and denigrating.

The full press release says:

“A plethora of complaints has flooded the headquarters of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) in the past 30 days concerning the disturbing allocation of a prime channel on the popular international cable television network, GOTV, to ‘Faith’, a popular Christian programme used for televangelism.

“According to the complainants, the first channel on GOTV which used to feature the advertisement of programmes on its other channels has now been dedicated to ‘Faith’ alone such that users of GOTV are compelled to watch the Christian channel willy-nilly once they switch on their television sets.

“This is an obvious extension of trammadolised religiousity to a provocative level, a strangulation of Nigerian Muslims with a Christianised hangman’s noose and a grinding subjection of the totality of the Nigerian Muslim psyche to trauma, assault and derision. It is offensive, nauseating and denigrating.

“GOTV is taking undue advantage of its licence, abusing its priviledged position and infringing on Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslims to use of television, choice of programme and freedom to navigate television channels.

“On behalf of more than 130 million Nigerians, MURIC demands immediate cessation of the ‘Faith’ programme on this prime channel and its return to its former channel or any other of GOTV’s choice.

“By allocating its first channel to the Christian ‘Faith’ televangel programme, GOTV has made Christianity its numero uno agenda in the country and relegated Islam to the bottom of the pyramid. It is religious apartheid and Nigerian Muslims will not accept relegation to third class citizenship in a country where they enjoy comfortable demographic lead.

“For a starter, Nigerian Muslims will be forced to start de-subscribing from GOTV if this obnoxious, prejudiced and ill-advised practice is not halted within seven days counting from Monday, 2nd December, 2024. Other peaceful, legitimate and constitutional anti-GOTV actions may follow as deemed necessary if the service provider fails to comply.

“Meanwhile, MURIC appeals to Nigerian Muslims to continue to exercise patience and to remain peaceful and calm. We must not give in to provocation, lawlessness and violence. The law is on our side and we have the right to reject a service provider that has no respect for our faith or for its Muslim customers.”

“GOTV will also do better by returning to its original practice whereby the last station watched by consumers opens immediately they switch on their television sets. Nigerians are going through enough stress and GOTV has no right to escalate tension in the nation’s anatomy.”