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VAT for brothers: Stop illegality first, Wike tells FG, Gombe fears stoppage
Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has advised his counterparts that are begging the state and Lagos State to discontinue moves to collect the Value Added Tax directly.
Wike, in Port Harcourt on Monday, said the Federal Government and states that were appealing to Lagos and Rivers states to be their brother’s keeper, must first accept the illegality of the central government collecting VAT, instead of states.
He stated this as the Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, while receiving the All Progressives Congress stakeholders from the southern part of the state on Monday, said other states must wake up to reality on ground.
Yahaya noted that if the income from VAT ceased, the state government would not be able to pay salaries.
The battle for VAT started last month when the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt in its judgment held that Rivers State had the right to collect VAT within its territory.
But in its ruling on an appeal filed by the Federal Inland Revenue, the Court of Appeal on September 10 ordered a stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgment.
Lagos State has asked to be joined in the appeal filed by the FIRS.
While some states have appealed to Lagos and Rivers states to be their brother’s keeper, the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, dismissed moves by the states as a joke.
On Monday, Wike said Nigeria must encourage federating states to harness their resources and generate revenues.
The governor made the observation when the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the SUN (Newspaper) Publishing Limited, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh led a delegation to present a letter of nomination to him as the SUN Man of the Year 2020 Award at Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday.
Wike observed that there were attempts to frustrate states like Rivers, to actualise the constitutional provisions that empower them to harness their resources and revenues, particularly VAT.
The governor decried the situation where the legality of states collecting VAT was not considered on the merit of the law by some public commentators including state governors, who were politicising it and looking at it from prisms of ethnicity and religion.
Wike said this in a statement issued by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri titled ‘States must be encouraged to harness their resources, revenues to develop themselves—Wike’
According to the governor, what the FIRS is doing is illegal and could be likened to robbing states.
He stated, “You don’t even need to be a lawyer to know that VAT is not in items 58 and 59 of the second schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Everybody knows that.
“It is not even in the concurrent list. Therefore, it falls under the residual list. It is not arguable. That yesterday nothing happened does not mean that today nothing will happen, or tomorrow something will not happen.
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“Nigeria should encourage states to be strong enough to have resources to develop their states. We are in a federal system where we are practising unitary system. Everybody at the end of the month will run to Abuja to share money. Nobody comes back to the state to think, how do I develop my state”?
“The issue of VAT did not start from Rivers State alone. It started in Lagos State when Lagos State challenged it in the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court said Lagos shouldn’t have sued the Federal Government.”
He urged those demanding a brother’s keeper consideration to first appreciate the position of the law and situate it rightly.
“Some people say, be your brother’s keeper. I have no problem in being my brother’s keeper. But why not come out and say, let us tell ourselves the simple truth. As it is being provided in the law, who is the person responsible to collect VAT?
“When you agree to that, that it is the state, then we can sit down to look at the different problems of states. And not to say be your brother’s keeper while you’re doing an illegal thing, in disobeying what the law says you should not do,” the governor explained.”
We must wake up to reality –Gombe gov
In Gombe State, Governor Yahaya on Monday said the move by both Rivers and Lagos states had awoken the state to the present reality.
Yahaya made this disclosure during the presentation of a certificate of credibility on his government by the APC stakeholders from the southern part of the state.
He said that the reason the two states could boast about VAT collection was because of the industries they had.
The governor stated, “If they (Rivers and Lagos states) are granted the opportunity to collect VAT, what are we going to do? We must wake up to the reality on ground.
“If income from VAT ceases, the state government will be unable to pay salaries” pointing out that 35 per cent of the state’s earnings were from VAT.
The Lagos State Government on its part said it was discussing with the relevant stakeholders on the implementation of VAT in the state.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, in an interview with one of our correspondents on Monday, said there was no basis for confusion on whom the organised private sector should pay their VAT to.
He said, “It is a question of justice, equity, true and fiscal federalism. Nobody should be confused about anything, all of that will be sorted out.”
PUNCH.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
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