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Parliamentary Probe Reveals Tampering with Key Tax Reform Legislation

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5 months ago

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The House of Representatives has confirmed that there is an illegal alteration of Nigeria’s newly gazetted tax reform laws.

The House Minority Caucus Ad-hoc Committee probing alleged alteration of the tax reform laws reported evidence of unauthorized changes to some of the tax reform laws recently passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

In an interim report released on Friday, the committee said its findings showed clear discrepancies between the versions of the tax laws approved by lawmakers and those later published in the official gazette.

According to the panel, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, contained the most significant alterations.

The probe followed public concern triggered by a motion raised on the floor of the House by Abdulsamad Dasuki, who warned that versions of the tax laws in circulation differed from what legislators had approved.

In response, the Minority Caucus, in a statement issued on December 28, 2025, pledged to safeguard the autonomy of the legislature and cautioned that the circulation of “fake laws” posed a direct threat to constitutional democracy.

Acting on that commitment, the caucus, under the leadership of Kingsley Chinda, set up a seven-member fact-finding committee on January 2, 2026.

The panel is chaired by Victor Ogene, with members Aliyu Garu (Bauchi), Stanley Adedeji (Oyo), Ibe Osonwa (Abia), Marie Ebikake (Bayelsa), Shehu Fagge (Kano), and Gaza Gbefwi Jonathan (Nasarawa).

A day later, the House, through its spokesman Akin Rotimi, announced that Speaker Tajudeen Abbas had ordered the release of certified copies of the four tax reform Acts signed by the President to enable public scrutiny.

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

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The committee, in its preliminary assessment, said that a side-by-side review of the certified copies and the gazetted documents confirmed Dasuki’s claims.

“There were some alterations as alleged, especially in the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.

“There were three different versions of the documents in circulation, particularly the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025,” the committee stated.

The report, signed by Ogene, noted that multiple versions of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, were in circulation, raising questions about the integrity of the legislative process.

The panel argued that instructions to “align” the Acts with the Federal Government Printing Press suggested serious procedural lapses.

The committee added that the published version of the laws unlawfully intruded into the constitutional authority of the National Assembly.

According to the committee, there was “a clear indication that there were procedural anomalies in the previously gazetted version that illegally encroached on the core mandate of the National Assembly.”

Highlighting specific concerns, the committee said Section 29(1) on reporting thresholds had been altered.

While the version passed by lawmakers set thresholds at N50 million for individuals and N100 million for companies, the gazetted text reportedly reduced the individual threshold to N25 million, a move the committee described as an attempt to widen the tax net through executive interference.

The committee also criticised the insertion of new subsections 41(8) and 41(9), which mandate a 20 per cent deposit of disputed tax liabilities before appeals can be taken from the Tax Appeal Tribunal to the High Court.

The committee noted that these provisions were absent from the version approved by the legislature.

According to the report, Section 64 of the gazetted Act further expanded the enforcement powers of tax authorities, allowing arrests through law enforcement agencies and the sale of seized assets without court authorisation, powers not contained in the original Act.

The committee also flagged changes to Section 3(1)(b), where petroleum income tax and VAT were reportedly removed from the definition of federal taxes, and to Section 39(3), which now mandates tax computation for petroleum operations in U.S. dollars rather than “the currency of the transaction,” as originally passed.

Beyond the Tax Administration Act, the panel raised alarms over the Nigerian Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, saying provisions on National Assembly oversight, particularly Sections 30(1)(d) and 30(3), were deleted in the gazetted version.

The committee said these omissions stripped the legislature of mechanisms for summons, reporting, and accountability, undermining the principle of checks and balances.

The House is expected to deliberate on the interim findings and consider further actions to rectify the published laws and prevent future alterations.

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NISO Announces Power Outage in Kano, Jigawa, Katsina for Grid Maintenance

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8 hours ago

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June 27, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has announced a planned power interruption affecting Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states this Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

In a statement posted via its X handle, NISO explained that the temporary outage is necessary to facilitate essential maintenance at the 330kV Kumbotso Substation, to be carried out by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

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Describing the upgrade as a critical investment, the system operator noted that the exercise would strengthen the national grid, enhance transmission capacity, and improve the overall resilience of Nigeria’s power system—ultimately leading to better electricity supply for customers in the affected region.

NISO expressed regret over the inconvenience and appealed for patience, understanding, and cooperation from members of the public during the maintenance period.

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DSS Releases Detained Farmer, Awards N3 Million Compensation After Review Clears Him of Terror Links

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8 hours ago

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June 27, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the immediate release and compensation of a man who had been wrongfully detained on suspicion of ties to Boko Haram.

Nura Idris, a farmer and livestock rearer from Soba Local Government Area in Kaduna State, was released following a comprehensive review by a DSS investigation panel that found no evidence to support the allegations against him.

In addition to ordering his release, the DSS Director-General approved a compensation package of N3 million to assist Idris with his immediate needs and pledged further support to help him rebuild his business.

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According to a security source, Idris was initially arrested in June 2024 in Suleja, Niger State, by a sister security agency over alleged links to terrorists. He was subsequently transferred to DSS custody, where the case underwent a full review.

Receiving the compensation, Idris expressed gratitude to the DSS leadership. “I thank the DGSS for his kindness. I was well treated in DSS custody and I pray that Allah rewards the DGSS immensely,” he was quoted as saying.

His father, Yusuf Idris, who received him upon his release, also thanked the DSS Director-General for his compassion and generosity, assuring that the compensation would be put to good use.

Another security source disclosed that in similar cases, the DSS routinely provides psychological and medical support to released detainees and assists them in establishing businesses to facilitate their reintegration into society.

The release of Idris is part of a broader internal review exercise initiated by the Service last year. The initiative aims to reassess inherited and prolonged detention cases to ensure that individuals held without sufficient evidence are not left in custody.

“The Service under the current DG has continued to show that safeguarding national security must go hand in hand with upholding the rights and dignity of citizens,” the source said.

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Army Approves Strategic Redeployment, Names New GOCs for 3 and 6 Divisions

Published

18 hours ago

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June 27, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigerian Army has announced a major reshuffle of its senior officers, with changes affecting key operational, command, training and staff appointments.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the reshuffle is part of efforts to strengthen national security and improve operational effectiveness across the country.

The statement added that the postings affected field commanders, school commandants and principal staff officers at the Army Headquarters.

It noted that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, approved the strategic redeployment of senior officers, saying the move was aimed at enhancing the Army’s capacity to address emerging security challenges.

Under the new appointments, Major General WM Dangana has been named the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army and Commander of Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE, replacing Major General EF Oyinlola.

Similarly, Major General EI Okoro has been appointed GOC 6 Division Nigerian Army and Land Component Commander of Joint Task Force South-South Operation DELTA SAFE, succeeding Major General EE Emeka.

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The statement also announced the appointment of Major General JR Lar as Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, while Brigadier General OM Oyekola will serve as Acting Military Secretary (Army). Brigadier General I Waziri retains his position as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Chief of Army Staff.

As part of efforts to strengthen operational leadership and combat readiness, Brigadier General IB Buhari was appointed Commander of Headquarters 63 Brigade, while Brigadier General K Rabiu was named Commander of Headquarters 31 Artillery Brigade.

In a move reflecting the Army’s growing emphasis on technology and emerging security threats, Major General SA Emmanuel was appointed Commander of the Nigerian Army Space Command.

The statement noted that the appointment “reinforces the Army’s growing focus on emerging domains of warfare and technology-driven security operations.”

Major General O Adegbe was also appointed Director of Intelligence and Security at Defence Headquarters.

In the area of military education and institutional development, Major General KE Chigbu was appointed Deputy Commandant of the National Defence College, while Major General SD Makolo became Commandant of the Nigerian Army Armour School.

Other appointments include Major General SO Adejimi as Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport and Major General FS Etim as Chief of Training at the Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command, Nigerian Army (TRADOC).

Brigadier General U Ahmad has also been appointed Commandant of Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria.

The reshuffle further saw Major General KO Ukandu appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Post Housing Development Limited, while Major General AI Allison was named Managing Director of Defence Properties Limited.

The statement added, “The COAS charged the newly appointed senior officers to justify the confidence reposed in them by demonstrating exemplary leadership, professionalism, innovation and unwavering commitment to the Nigerian Army’s constitutional mandate of defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting its territorial integrity and supporting civil authority in maintaining peace and security across the nation.

“The Nigerian Army remains resolute in its transformation drive and commitment to building a highly professional, combat-ready and people-oriented force capable of effectively addressing contemporary and future security challenges in pursuit of Nigeria’s national security objectives.”

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