The Redeemed Christian Church of God has given the reason for investigating the allegations of sodomy against two of its youth pastors.

The National Overseer of the church, Pastor Sunday Akande, who spoke to Sunday PUNCH, said the case was unprecedented, hence the church was ready to give it the necessary attention.

Akande said a panel had been set up to investigate the allegations against the pastors, adding that appropriate action would be taken.

He said, “The reason for the suspension is to also allow persons who were said to have been molested or harassed to come forward and testify against the pastors. To the best of my knowledge, nobody has come forward yet as a victim of harassment.

“This is the first time an allegation like this has been raised against the church. If we see anything like this, the church will investigate it and see how we can address it. As far as the church is concerned, we don’t condone this kind of thing.”

A controversial news blog, Gistlovers, had last week called out two youth pastors of the church for allegedly luring teenage boys into homosexuality.

The blog also accused them of negatively influencing teenagers under their mentorship.

According to the blog, a 20-year-old boy, who requested anonymity, claimed the youth pastors “influenced many into being gay.”

“This gist is not complete without naming, a very close friend of (the youth pastor) and also a former coordinator in the teens’ church at RCCG Region 2 (they were both coordinators). He was raising young boys in his former house at U-turn and he slept with all these boys, and they were even holding fake Bible study just to create a meeting point for this brostitution,” a post by the blog read.

One of the accused, in a statement, said he had never sodomised or had sex with any male teenager.

“I have never demanded sex from any male as payment or gratification in order to give them assistance, platforms, or positions. God is the only kingmaker, the only one who can raise and erase kings, give positions, and platforms,” he stated.

On alleged screenshots of a conversation with an alleged victim, he said he asked questions “during a conversation in a male teenagers’ WhatsApp group where discussions regarding male reproductive health and self-esteem took place.”

According to him, the teenagers were taught about proper hygiene for reproductive health, the right kind of underwear to buy, and that the girth and length determine the underwear size.

“I also explained that their sizes should not affect their self-esteem and that they are perfectly and uniquely created by God.”

However, the church suspended the two men at the centre of the drama.

In a letter dated Monday, October 28, the church said the suspension was by its commitment to uphold the teachings of the Bible.

Meanwhile, the family of one of the pastors has filed a petition to the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon, against Gistlover for defamation of character.

The family in the petition signed by their counsel, Adekunle Adeyinka; called for the investigation of the blog, insisting that the allegations were unfounded and had caused their son “emotional trauma and has put their security at risk from attacks by these faceless individuals.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has released controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, on bail.

The embattled cross-dresser was stopped and removed from an Amsterdam-bound KLM flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos late Thursday night while attempting to leave the country for London, the United Kingdom.

He quickly alerted his followers on social media about the arrest, stating that he sustained injuries during the process.

Bobrisky wrote, “Nigerians, help me, EFCC just arrested me. I’m badly injured.”

He was subsequently flown to the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja, where he was interrogated on his bribery allegations against the commission.

In a voice note shared by a controversial social critic, Martins Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky allegedly said he bribed EFCC officers with N15m to drop money laundering charges against him.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that Bobrisky perfected his bail late Friday night and was subsequently released.

The EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale confirmed Bobrisky’s release on Saturday but declined further comments.

However, a source familiar with the matter said the cross-dresser denied bribing the EFCC in his confessional statement made at the commission’s headquarters.

The source added that the cross-dresser challenged the person who posted the voice note to defend it.

“He denied everything about releasing money to any official as a bribe to drop the money laundering charges against him. He denied it in his statement. He said the fellow who posted the voice note should come over to justify it. He said nobody requested money from him in the EFCC and he didn’t give anyone anything”, said the source.

Leading gynaecologists have said aside from issues with a woman’s reproductive organs and non-viable sperm, sexual positions can’t impact conception.

While they acknowledged that there were claims that specific sexual positions could make conception easier and faster, the maternal health experts confirmed that there was no scientific basis for such.

Online checks by PUNCH Healthwise revealed claims that sex positions such as missionary, dog style and spoon, among others could increase conception rates.

Their argument was based on the premise that such styles brought the penis closer to the cervix, creating easy access for the sperm to flow directly into the fallopian tubes, leading to pregnancy.

However, the gynaecologists noted that all things being equal, once a healthy sperm reaches the vagina and could swim to the cervix, a woman would conceive regardless of the sex position.

The physicians further asserted that a sex position was only medically considered during sex selection.

Providing expert advice on the issue, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state, Ernest Orji, stated that although the myth exists, there was no scientific basis for it.

He said, “There is no sexual position that a woman takes that she won’t get pregnant. None is easier or faster than the other one. Sometimes, the man can ejaculate on the woman’s thigh and she will still get pregnant. Once sperm enters into the vagina, anyhow, the woman can get pregnant.

“We know that the womb can sometimes be introverted but sperm moves freely. Unless the cervix is blocked and prevents the sperm from entering, no position makes getting pregnant better or faster. If every other thing is normal with the sperm and the woman, once the sperm enters into the vagina, the woman can get pregnant.”

The researcher on Reproductive and Feto-maternal Health further clarified that on the other hand, no sexual position could reduce the chances of getting pregnant.

The don added, “A lot of time, some people would think that since there was no deep penetration during sex, there wouldn’t be pregnancy. But if there was ejaculation, the woman would get pregnant.”

Also, a Consultant Gynaecologist, Dr Stanley Egbogu, stated that sex position was only significant during sex or gender selection of a child.

He also affirmed that the position assumed during sex had no impact on the possibility of conception.

“Anytime there is difficulty in conceiving, we don’t look at the position. Position does not mean anything,” Egbogu said.

He further reaffirmed his position, mentioning that even those who relied on the withdrawal method as a means of contraception could still get pregnant because the pre-ejaculatory fluid, which would have been released before withdrawal, has been tested to contain some sperm.

“Position will play less or no part because if you have good quality sperm and eggs, whether it’s missionary, lateral or dog style, they can get pregnant. So, we don’t bother about positioning when we talk about people trying to conceive.  It is when we want to talk about sex formation that is when we talk about the positioning, that is the posterior side, meeting the woman on the day of her release of egg and alkalinisation,” the gynaecologist said.

He further clarified that no sex position could reduce the likelihood of pregnancy or serve as an effective method of avoiding it.

“In a fertile person, even the pre-ejaculation fluid can make the person pregnant, much less the semen. If you don’t want to get pregnant, there are laid down rules, we have our guidelines, which is family planning. We have emergency contraception, the normal family planning method of contraception that we use- we have condoms, cervical caps, oral contraceptive pills that a woman can swallow once every day for 30 days, we have Progesterone-only contraceptive pills, injectables, implants and intrauterine contraceptive device.

“We methods of preventing pregnancy and sexual position are not methods. Withdrawal method is a method of family planning but it has a high failure rate. So, there is no sexual position that is used as a family planning method,” the gynaecologist said.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has initiated steps to withdraw charges against 32 minors recently arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In a statement released late Friday, hours after the arraignment, Fagbemi expressed his intent to assume control of the case from the Inspector General of Police, citing a need to review specific issues related to the matter.

“There are some issues my office will need to look into regarding the matter to enable me to make an informed decision,” he stated.

Fagbemi added that, although he cannot modify the court’s decision to remand the minors in detention centers and set the trial date to January, he had directed the police to transfer the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF) for an immediate review.

“I have further directed the DPPF to immediately initiate steps to request an earlier adjournment date,” Fagbemi said.

A source within the Federal Ministry of Justice who spoke with Punch confirmed that the Inspector General of Police had promptly submitted the case file to the AGF’s office, and plans are underway to expedite proceedings to withdraw charges.

The source noted that efforts are being made for the court to reconvene this week, ahead of the previously set January 24, 2025 date.

“The police have submitted the case file, and the parties are working together. The court will reconvene early this week,” the source said.

Also, the defence counsel for all 119 defendants, Marshall Abubakar, confirmed to the platform that steps were being taken to drop the charges against the children this week, especially since the AGF had requested the transfer of the case file.

“The government has been calling; the AGF has called. I think, most likely, by next week (this week), we will get the charges thrown out,” Abubakar said.

He also confirmed that the minors among the 119 remanded protesters were in the custody of the SARS IRT, adding that they were kept in a large hall as the purported Borstal system for juvenile detention was non-existent.

Abubakar further stated, “The children were taken to IRT SARS. There is a big hall there where they are kept because there is actually no Borstal Centre.”

Another source knowledgeable about the case told Punch on Saturday that the AGF’s office was considering filing an affidavit of urgency and an application on Monday before the court.

The source said, “This means if the application is granted, the case will come up on Tuesday. Hopefully, the case will be discontinued.”

The Director-General of the Tinubu-Shettima Ambassadors, a campaign group that advocated for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 elections, Oladele Oyelude, has downplayed attempts to use opposition to the tax reforms bill to create discord between the North and President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.

Oyelude, an All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in Osun State, emphasized that those opposed to the bill should work with their National Assembly representatives to address any concerns rather than stirring up regional tensions.

Speaking to journalists in Osogbo on Saturday, he noted that the bill would prompt governors to focus on revenue generation, which would ultimately aid national development.

He said, “The National Assembly will look at the bill in a way that it won’t lead to disintegration. The reform in the tax system will affect the name and a few other things about the tax system. It won’t be in the best interest of the country for the National Assembly to throw out the Tax Reform Bill.

“I believe North won’t oppose Tinubu’s reelection because of the tax reform bill. A northerner is the Vice President, so they can’t go against Tinubu based on the bill. The fate of the bill will be decided by the National Assembly.

“If the North feels the bill is not good enough, they should pass their resolution against it through their House of Representatives members and their Senators.”

The Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has said his administration is saddened by the trial of minors in a Federal Capital Territory High Court, on treason charges by the Nigeria Police.

Abba Yusuf said he was made to know that some of the minors on treason trial for participating in the August hunger protest were from Kano.

In a statement on Friday night, on his X handle, Governor Yusuf promised that his Commissioner of Justice would work to secure the minors and return them to the state.

“My attention has been drawn to the appearance of teenagers (some believed to be from Kano) in court today (Friday) in Abuja.

“The Commissioner of Justice has been instructed to act immediately on the issue. We shall do everything possible to get them back to Kano, in sha Allah,” Governor Yusuf said.

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), have also directed the Nigeria Police to submit the prosecution file of the minors to his office.

The statement from Fagbemi on Friday night read, “It has just come to my notice that the police have arraigned those arrested in connection with the end bad governance violent protest in court for various offences, including treason.

“My office will need to look into some issues regarding the matter so that I can make an informed decision.

“I am aware that the court has remanded the defendants in detention centres and adjourned the case to January.

“It is not within my power to vary the order of the court remanding the defendants in detention centres and adjourning the case to January. I have, however, directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the case file to my office and hand it over to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) tomorrow, Saturday, 2nd November, 2024.

“I have also directed the DPPF to immediately set machinery in motion for the court’s consideration of moving the adjournment date forward (to an earlier date).”

The Counsel to the Federal Government, Rimazonte Ezekiel, has stated that most of the 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters arraigned in connection with the demonstrations that rocked the country in August are adults.

His remarks came after a hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the protesters—arrested between August 1 and August 10—were presented before Justice Obiora Egwuatu.

Recall that four of those arraigned, including two minors, fainted and were taken to the hospital.

Following a bail hearing, 114 protesters were each granted bail set at N10 million with two sureties in a similar amount.

Justice Egwuatu approved the bail applications after reviewing submissions from both the defense and prosecution teams, subsequently adjourning the case until January.

Footage showing minors among the detained has sparked nationwide outrage. Human rights advocates, civil society groups, political figures, and social commentators have all expressed concern, criticizing the Tinubu administration for the handling of the protests.

However, Ezekiel defended the government’s actions in a press briefing after the court session.

He argued that the individuals being referred to as minors are actually adults, noting that some even have families.

“These boys that we brought to the court today are adults. Most of them are married men. None of them is a minor. Some of them are University graduates. The small kids you are seeing here today came with their parents to come and greet their loved ones,” he stated.

He went on to clarify that many of the defendants had been arrested in Kaduna and Zaria, emphasizing the challenges of maintaining democracy in Nigeria and expressing concerns over the alleged involvement of foreign symbols and calls for regime change.

“They are not even the real suspects standing trial in this case. These boys were arrested in Kaduna and Zaria. Do you know how much it cost us to be at this level of democracy in this country? These young boys are trying to destabilize Nigeria using the Russian flags and other countries while calling on the military to remove our president,” he added.

“Is it fair? To even remove the state governors. If they don’t want democracy again, are we forcing them? Everybody is enjoying their fundamental human rights. Nobody is abusing their rights. Everything is moving on well in the country, only for these boys, for no reason, [to have] started protests with Russia and other countries’ flags.”

Former presidential spokesman Dr. Doyin Okupe has called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and oil marketers to avoid actions that could cast President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a negative light.

In a statement on Friday titled “Dangote Refinery, NNPCL, Oil Marketers, and the Voodoo of PMS Pricing,” Okupe urged oil industry stakeholders to consider the economic challenges faced by Nigerians.

He suggested that the current approach to Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) pricing could create an impression that the government, which no longer directly controls petroleum prices, is to blame for price hikes, potentially tarnishing the president’s image.

Okupe expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in determining fuel prices, describing it as “a national embarrassment.”

He noted that the Free On Board (FOB) price of PMS at Rotterdam was $0.541 per liter, equivalent to about N927.82 at an exchange rate of N1,715 to $1.

He further explained that with a landing cost of N978 per liter in Lagos, locally refined PMS should benefit from reduced freight costs, which save approximately N85 per liter.

Consequently, Okupe argued, “No local refinery should sell above the FOB price at Rotterdam, minus freight savings of N85, which totals N842.83 per liter.”

The former Director-General of the Peter Obi 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Okupe challenged NNPCL, the Dangote Refinery, and oil marketers to dispute his calculations.

Recall that NNPCL recently increased the price of petrol just three weeks after a previous hike.

The latest adjustment raised the pump price to N1,060 per liter in Abuja, up from N1,030, while in Lagos, the price increased from N998 to N1,025 per liter at NNPCL outlets.

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has distanced itself from what it described as President Bola Tinubu’s bias for the Yoruba in federal appointments.

The group insisted that they do not support Tinubu for appointing Yorubas as head of all arms of the criminal justice system and other sectors.

Afenifere shared its reservations in a statement by its leader and the National Publicity Secretary, Ayo Adebanjo, and Justice Faleye, respectively, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday.

They insisted that the development threatened the age-long inter-ethnic relationship and peaceful co-existence in Nigeria.

The statement partly read, “We can never condone the outrageous bias by Tinubu to make Yorubas head of all arms of the criminal justice system (EFCC, DSS, Attorney-General and Chief Justice); the economy (Coordinating Minister of the economy, CBN, Finance, Blue Economy, Digital Economy, Trade, Industries and Investment, Bank of Industry, Solid Minerals); as well as the forces (army, police, customs, immigration, DSS).

“Afenifere can’t use several decades to fight against Fulani hegemony only to support Yoruba or any other hegemony. Afenifere bitterly complained that President Buhari’s northern hegemony can’t remain mute on ethnic hegemony, as being perpetrated by Tinubu.

“Buhari was accused of bias for the North, with three regions, not to talk of Tinubu bias not for the South, but a single ethnicity and single region. Our progenitor, Chief Obafemi Awolowo once threatened to curse anyone that tied Afenifere to Yoruba only.”

The group explained that it adheres to clear-cut principles of being social democrats and would not support autocratic leaders.

“By the virtue of our name, Afenifere, meaning those that want good for all humans, and as omoluabi Yorubas, we won’t support any government that engages in undemocratic practices. Nor would we support a government whose first year pushed over 14 million people into poverty with anti-people policies.

“President Tinubu is no stranger to Afenifere, but having backed him into power in 1999, and witnessed his 24-year precedents in Lagos, it would have been wicked and morally irresponsible to support him into power as President.

“This was why the true Afenifere supported Peter Obi and was in charge of his presidential campaign headed by Akin Osuntokun, an Afenifere chieftain,” the statement added.

President Bola Tinubu says the tax reform bills will not be withdrawn from the national assembly as recommended by the national economic council (NEC).

In a statement on Friday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said Tinubu received NEC’s recommendation, however, the president said the legislative process should continue.

On October 3, Tinubu asked the national assembly to consider and pass four tax reform bills.

The bills include the Nigeria tax bill, the tax administration bill, and the joint revenue board establishment bill.

Tinubu is also seeking to repeal the law establishing the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and replace it with the Nigeria Revenue Service.

Reacting to the development, the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF)opposed the proposed bills, following a joint meeting with the northern traditional rulers council at the Kaduna government house on October 28.

The governors asked the national assembly to reject any legislation that may harm the region’s interests, calling for equitable and fair implementation of national policies and programmes to prevent marginalisation of any geopolitical zone.

Following the opposition from the northern governors, the presidency on Thursday assured them that the proposed laws were not recommended by Tinubu to disadvantage any part of the country as they were designed to improve the lives of Nigerians and optimise existing tax frameworks.

On the same day, NEC asked Tinubu to withdraw the tax reform bills to give room for consultations.

However, Onanuga said Tinubu urged the NEC to allow the process to take its full course.

“President Tinubu commends the National Economic Council members, especially Vice President Kashim Shettima and the 36 State Governors, for their advice,” Onanuga said.

“He believes that the legislative process, which has already begun, provides an opportunity for inputs and necessary changes without withdrawing the bills from the National Assembly.”

Tinubu also welcomed further consultations and engagement with key stakeholders to address any reservations about the bills while the national assembly considers them for passage.

“When President Tinubu set up the Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy Reform in August 2023, he had only one objective: to reposition the economy for better productivity and efficiency and make the operating environment for investment and businesses more conducive. This objective remains more critical even today than ever before,” he said.

“The committee worked for over a year and received inputs from various segments of society across the geopolitical zones, including trade associations, professional bodies, different Ministries and Government Agencies, Governors, traders, students, business owners, and the organised private sector.

“The tax reform bills that emerged were distilled from the extensive work of the Presidential Committee.”

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TAX REFORM BILLS

The special adviser said the tax reform bills aim to streamline Nigeria’s tax administration processes, completely overhaul the nation’s tax operations, and align them with global best practices.

Highlighting the purpose of the bills, Onanuga said the Nigeria tax bill “seeks to eliminate multiple taxation and make Nigeria’s economy more competitive by simplifying tax obligations for businesses and individuals nationwide”.

“The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (NTAB): This Bill proposes new rules governing the administration of all taxes in the country. Its objective is to harmonise tax administrative processes across federal, state and local jurisdictions to ease taxpayers’ compliance and enhance the revenue for all tiers of government,” he said.

“The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill: The Bill seeks to re-establish the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) to better reflect its mandate as the revenue agency for the entire federation, not just the Federal Government.

“The Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill: This Bill proposes creating a Joint Revenue Board to replace the Joint Tax Board, covering federal and all state tax authorities. The fourth bill will also establish the Office of Tax Ombudsman under the Joint Revenue Board, protecting taxpayers’ interests and facilitating dispute resolution.”

He said the bills’ overarching objective is to effectively coordinate federal, state, and local tax authorities, thereby eliminating the overlapping responsibilities, confusion, and inefficiency that have plagued tax administration in Nigeria for decades.

According to Onanuga, under existing laws, taxes like company income tax (CIT), personal income tax (PIT), capital gains tax (CGT), petroleum profits tax (PPT), tertiary education tax (TET), value-added tax (VAT), and other taxing provisions in numerous laws are administered separately, with individual legislative frameworks.

The special adviser said the proposed reforms seek to consolidate the numerous taxes, integrating CIT, PIT, CGT, VAT, PPT, and excise duties into a unified structure to reduce administrative fragmentation.

“While there may be differences in approach or specific provisions of the new tax bills, what is not in contention is the need to review our tax laws and how we administer them to serve our overall national development agenda,” he added.

Onanuga assured that Tinubu will continue to respect and welcome the advice and recommendations of the NEC.