
FEATURES
FBI Arrests Nigerian Immigrant Who become First Black Colorado Springs Mayor Over Alleged Election-Related Hoak
AFOLABIOrji Uzor Kalu, the lawmaker representing Abia North in the Senate has spoken about how Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), called and issued threats against him for not supporting the agitation for Biafra
The former Abia state governor made this disclosure during an interview with Arise Television on Monday.
Simon Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, was arrested by Finnish police on November 21, 2024, and subsequently imprisoned by the district court of Päijät-Häme.
He faces charges of spreading terrorist propaganda via social media in 2021, allegedly inciting violence and terror in Nigeria’s southeast region.
The federal government has been pressing for Ekpa’s extradition to Nigeria to face prosecution, while the Finnish court has set May 2025 as the deadline for filing charges against him.
Kalu, who urged security agencies to enhance intelligence operations, stressed the importance of proactive measures in combating crime.
He said, “I am very strong-willed when it comes to security, and I can do anything to safeguard the lives and property of the people I rule.
“You must be a strong leader to condemn crime, and I eradicated crime. No governor should tolerate any type of crime in his state; it is not allowed.
“Igbos must have safety on their hands. The federal government and state governors should work towards that, and the army should dismantle all the roadblocks in Igboland.
“Where people will come with transport and stop on the road is no longer viable; that is no longer security. Security is about intelligence.
“Simon Ekpa was calling and threatening me that I don’t support Biafra, but I left him to his conscience.
“My conscience is that I am a democrat, an Igbo man at heart, and I believe in this country, and I believe in my tribe, where I come from, in Igbere.”
Kalu asked the south-east governors to be resolute and ruthless in dealing with the activities of non-state actors.
Mrs Rosemary Oromoni, the mother of the 12-year-old Dowen college student, Sylvester, who died in 2021 as a result of alleged bullying in the school has reportedly died after a protracted illness.
Mrs Oromoni was reported to have suffered heartbreak and trauma over the loss of her youngest child.
Two years after her son’s passing, she reportedly succumbed to health complications attributed to heartbreak and trauma.
The late Sylvester Jnr. was allegedly a victim of severe bullying by senior students in the Lagos-based school, leading to his untimely death.
The family’s ongoing fight for justice has kept their tragic story in the public eye, but the latest loss has left the family in huge shock.
“For over two years, Mrs. Oromoni endured an overwhelming burden of grief, ” a family source who confirmed her death on Sunday, said.
According to the source, the emotional toll of losing her son deeply affected her health and she reportedly died on Monday 25, November, 2024..
“Despite medical care and the unwavering support of her family, she struggled to recover. Her sorrow was described as all-consuming, with many observing her inability to eat, sleep, or resume daily life.
“As time passed, her health deteriorated further. Friends and family revealed that Mrs. Oromoni had lost the will to live, with the pain of her son’s death and the ongoing quest for justice taking a devastating toll.
“Her condition worsened until she succumbed to complications on Monday, 25th November 2024.
“Her passing has been met with an outpouring of sorrow and sympathy, with many linking her untimely demise to the unrelenting grief she carried.
“The Oromoni family now faces the daunting task of mourning not only their young son but also a devoted mother whose life was cut short by the weight of her anguish.
“The death of Mrs. Oromoni has reignited public calls for justice for Sylvester Jnr., as supporters rally around the family in their time of need.
“Many see Mrs. Oromoni as a poignant symbol of the devastating impact of unresolved grief and the urgent need to address systemic failings that allow such tragedies to occur.
“As the Oromoni family continues their quest for justice, the memory of both mother and son now stands as a sobering reminder of the profound cost of injustice”, the family source wrote.
If You Continue This Way, You Will Milk Nigeria To Death – Obi Of Onitsha Sends Warning To Politicians
AFOLABIThe Obi of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe has lamented about the high level of corruption in the nation.
The monarch urged those in leadership to put public interest above personal and individualistic desires, insisting that this is the only way Nigeria will grow.
He shared his concerns over the economic situation in the country in Abuja at the public presentation of a book,’Bold Leap’ authored by Senator Chris Anyanwu.
His Royal Majesty warned that with the increasing level of corruption in the country which is akin to milking a cow, the cow would soon die if incorruptible milking was not stopped.
He condemned the attitude of the political class towards accountability and good governance, likening it to the ignoble attitude to milking the cow continuously without replenishing and sustaining it.
The Obi of Onitsha said: “Should we continue milking the cow, it will die. In this country, since independence, we’ve been talking and talking and talking and talking and talking. I think it’s time we begin to think about doing something because we have two alternatives. Keep milking the cow until it dies, because of our sectional interests, which we tend to protect, and our personal interests. People go into public service, not to serve the public, but to serve their interests.
“Either we keep doing that and milk the cow to death, or we do the opposite and place Nigeria above everything else.
“And I would like to add that time is not too much in our favour. It’s either we milk the cow to death very, very fast, or we can turn around the country very, very fast.”
Bold Leap, which had a gathering of Nigerians made up of former Presidents, ex- Presidents of the Senate, past and present senators, and former governors is an autobiography of Senator Anyanwu with 600 pages, three parts, and 19 chapters.
President Bola Tinubu was represented by the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Jisalo, the Chairman of the event and former President Olusegun Obasanjo was represented by former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark; former President Goodluck Jonathan was represented by ex-President of the Senate, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Jaja of Okpobo, former Senators, former Anambra State governors, Chris Ngige and Peter Obi, Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF’s spokesperson, Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini, Senators, Captains of Industry, among others were present at the event.
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EFCC Is Now Afraid Of Big Thieves – Sowore Blasts Anti-Graft Agency For Hiding Owner Of 753 Duplexes In Abuja
AFOLABIAfrican Action Congress, AAC, 2023 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has slammed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for hiding the identity of the top government official who owns the forfeited 753 units of duplexes in Abuja.
Naija News reported that the EFCC successfully obtained the final forfeiture of a property in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following a ruling on Monday by Judge Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court.
In a statement made available to newsmen, the spokesperson for the anti-corruption agency, Dele Oyewale, noted that the property spans 150,500 square meters and comprises 753 units of duplexes and various other apartments, marking it as the largest single asset recovered by the EFCC since its establishment in 2003.
The individual who forfeited the property was not mentioned, but Oyewale said it belonged to a “former top brass of the government”.
Reacting, Sowore, in a post on his official Facebook page, tackled the anti-graft agency for withdrawing the identity of the property owner.
According to him, the EFCC is currently afraid of ‘big’ thieves, noting that it is always easier for them to parade suspects who are Yahoo boys, unlike top government officials.
He wrote, “What is the name of the “former top brass” with 753 duplexes seized by the EFCC in Abuja?
“The @officialEFCC is now doing PR for thieves. They seized this large estate with 753 duplexes from a single individual in Abuja but can’t mention his or her name.
“If it is Yahoo boys, they will line laptops and Nokia phones in front of them and send their photos globally even before their trial is commenced. The same EFCC is now AFRAID of BIG Thieves!”
The former lawmaker representing Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Joseph Haruna Kigbu, on Monday, was abducted by suspected bandits while traveling to Jos.
Naija News learnt that the incident happened around 6:00 p.m., between Nunku in Akwanga Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, and Gwantu in Sanga Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
The kidnappers during the attack shot the police escort assigned to Kigbu, who attempted to resist the abduction.
According to Vanguard, eyewitnesses revealed that the bandits fired sporadically, causing panic among motorists in the area.
Local villagers confirmed the incident, adding that the location has been a hotspot for criminal activities over the years.
The abduction of Dr. Kigbu and the death of the police escort underscore the persistent security challenges plaguing the region, with many residents calling for increased security presence in the area.
In other news, residents of Akankan Area of Ede, Osun State, have been thrown into mourning due to a devastating fire that engulfed the residence of a Customs officer, Tijani Kabiru, attached to the Oyo/Osun Command, killing him, his wife, and four of their children.
Naija News learned that the fire outbreak that occurred in the early hours of Monday also sparked panic and disbelief in the community.
The Chairman of the presidential committee on tax policy and fiscal reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has dismissed any plans to engage Alpha-Beta Consulting or other consultants for tax collection.
Speaking during a town hall meeting hosted by Channels Television on Monday, Oyedele addressed concerns about using external consultants like Alpha-Beta, a firm known for handling tax collection for Lagos state and linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He described reliance on consultants for tax collection as a major economic challenge, emphasizing that governments should not depend on external firms for such critical functions.
“In fact, we debated at the committee level about including a provision in the law that prohibits governments from using consultants to collect taxes. We see this as one of the biggest economic problems,” Oyedele stated.
“I can confirm 100 percent that there is no plan whatsoever to use consultants for this purpose.”
According to Oyedele, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) already possesses the infrastructure needed for efficient tax collection, particularly through its TaxPro Max platform.
Minor adjustments to the system, he noted, are sufficient to implement the proposed reforms.
“For instance, once these bills are passed, we can simply update the system to require companies like MTN to indicate the states where VAT returns are generated,” Oyedele explained.
He added that similar measures would apply to other large corporations, such as the Dangote Group and financial institutions, ensuring compliance without external assistance.
‘Governors Were Consulted on Tax Reform Bills’
Addressing concerns about consultation, Oyedele emphasized that state governors were actively engaged during the drafting process of the tax reform bills.
“This is not a rushed process. We consulted extensively. We had a session with the governors’ forum and two sessions with the national economy council. We also spent almost a full day with finance commissioners from across Nigeria,” he said.
Oyedele further revealed that the committee held multiple meetings with heads of internal revenue services from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Letters were sent to governors in each geopolitical zone, offering detailed discussions with their cabinets.
“Some governors didn’t have time for us, but for those who did, like the governor of Lagos, we had thorough engagements. In Lagos, a joint committee between my team and the state cabinet worked on the details for over six months,” he added.
He maintained that the committee remains open to further consultations, dismissing claims that stakeholders were not adequately involved.
The Presidency has advised critics to withdraw from threatening President Bola Tinubu with the 2027 election.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Abiodun Essiet, said Tinubu means well for Nigerian, stating that his policies are aimed at fixing the country’s economy.
Tinubu’s aide, while advising that “politics is not job”, noted that if the President did not mean well for the country, he would not have pushed the reforms he has been making for the growth of the country in his first term.
“Stop going to the media to threaten the president about 2027. You can continue to have breakfast meetings until 2027 because of the lack of joblessness. Politics is not a job.
“The president means well for the people of this country; no president will push for the type of reforms the president is pushing for in their first tenure (LGA autonomy, financial reforms, tax reforms).
“Most president will make such to their second tenure… So, it is not about 2027. It is about taking Nigeria to the promised land. Let’s stop politicizing every reform. Leave politics till 2026.
“We are solving the problem of multi-taxation through our tax reforms. Get some work and leave politics for now,” she wrote.
The Community Engagement Aide further charged Nigerians to read the Tax Reform Bill to have a better understanding of its contents.
“Read about the tax reform bills yourself, and don’t depend on social media influencers or other media platforms to educate you about the bills. Influencers are paid to create public sentiment around the reforms and are often politically motivated. Stop being gullible. Let’s keep engaging in intellectual discourse,” Essiet added