The Chairman, Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, on Monday explained that the objective of the tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly is to fix Nigeria’s economy for shared prosperity and not to generate more money as being speculated.

Oyedele made the clarification when he was featured as one of the panellists on Channels Television’s Townhall on Tax Reforms.

In the past few weeks, the bills have pitched some state governors against the Federal Government, with the governors calling for the withdrawal of the bills to create room for more consultation.

On Sunday, Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, also called on his colleagues and Northern stakeholders to reject the bills, insisting that they would damage the region’s economy if implemented.But Oyedele said there are many misconceptions being peddled about the bills when it was obvious many of the critics had not taken their time to properly vet them.

He said, “Our economy is underperforming. We are not growing enough, poverty is widespread and we do not have inclusive and sustainable growth, and there can’t be shared prosperity unless we address those issues. While we face a myriad of issues, the fiscal system, including taxation clearly, is one major area.If I want to summarise it, I would say that the fiscal and tax system is like the knee on the neck of our economic prosperity as a people. It is important to state that the primary objective of the reforms is not to generate more revenue. I see people get that wrong every time. It is to fix the economy in a way that there can be shared prosperity.

If your businesses are growing, expanding within and outside the shores of this country, if our individuals are earning income and thriving, then taxes will be a natural consequence of their prosperity. That is really the fundamental objective of the reforms. So, we know that the work we’re asked to do for our country is such an enormous amount of work, but critical.”

Continuing, Oyedele also explained why many felt the Presidency was in cahoots with the National Assembly on the bill.

According to him, they planned to get the reform bills sorted out within a year as Nigeria does not have to wait for four to five years to get it done, saying, “If we’re going to take all our time, we would have asked for about four or five years. We knew Nigeria had no luxury of time. We decided we should put in all our efforts to get this done within one year. We have tax laws that are very old and no longer fit for mobiles, including those we inherited from our colonial masters.

“So, we said we’ll use the opportunity of this reform to rewrite those laws so that the laws made by Nigerians for Nigeria to be able to drive our prosperity going forward. And that’s what led to the four bills that we have before the National Assembly today that have been properly summarised.

“So, for households and individuals, including our young population, these bills are looking to exempt low-income earners completely from tax, those who earn about N83,000 per month or N1 million a year.”.

The Kano State House of Assembly on Monday rejected the Tax Reform bills currently under consideration at the National Assembly.

At a plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Isma’il Falgore, the lawmakers kicked against the bills after extensive deliberation.

The Majority Leader, Lawan Husseini (ANPP-Dala) introduced a motion of ‘urgent public importance,’ emphasising the need for northern lawmakers and the Conference of Speakers to prevent the passage of the bills.

Mr Husseini argued that if passed into law, the bills would not benefit the Northern States.

He condemned the Senate’s decision to approve the bills, saying, “We view it as a deliberate effort to sabotage the economy, increase hardship and further impoverishing the region.”

Mr Husseini expressed concern over the proposed VAT allocation system, noting that states like Lagos, where major corporations such as Nigerian banks, telecommunications companies, and multinational companies were headquartered, would receive the largest share of the VAT.

“Lagos and its environs would account for 80 percent of the VAT collected in Nigeria, leaving northern states with a minimal share,” he said.

He warned that if allowed to scale through, the bill would further weaken northern states, potentially rendering some unable to pay salaries and worsening poverty and hardship.

Mr Husseini expressed concern over the proposed VAT allocation system, noting that states like Lagos, where major corporations such as Nigerian banks, telecommunications companies, and multinational companies were headquartered, would receive the largest share of the VAT.

“Lagos and its environs would account for 80 percent of the VAT collected in Nigeria, leaving northern states with a minimal share,” he said.

He warned that if allowed to scale through, the bill would further weaken northern states, potentially rendering some unable to pay salaries and worsening poverty and hardship.

Supporting the motion, Salisu Mohammed (APC-Doguwa) urged the upper legislative house to focus on more pressing national issues, such as attention insecurity and unemployment, instead of rushing the tax reform bills through the legislative process.

Similarly, Murtala Kadage (ANPP-Garko) called for unity among lawmakers to prevent the bills from passing, for the benefit of the region.

The house called on northern members of the Senate and House of Representatives, along with the Conference of Speakers, to take a swift and decisive action to block the passage of the bills.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully obtained the final forfeiture of a property situated 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”.

“The road to the final forfeiture of the property was paved by an interim forfeiture order, secured before the same Judge on November 1, 2024,” he said.

“The government official which fraudulently built the estate is being investigated by the EFCC. The forfeiture of the asset is an important modality of depriving the suspect of the proceeds of the crime.

“In this instance, the Commission relied on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud And Other Fraud Related Offences Act No 14, 2006 and Section 44 (2) B of the Constitution of the 199 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to push its case.

“The Establishment Act of the Commission places huge emphasis on asset recovery.”

The spokesperson for the EFCC stated that the judge determined the respondent failed to provide sufficient justification for retaining the property in question.

Oyewale referenced Ola Olukoyede, the chair of the EFCC, who emphasized that asset recovery is essential in combating corruption economic and financial crimes, and serves as a significant deterrent to corrupt and fraudulent activities.

See images of the recovered asset below:

See images of the recovered asset below:

Finnish authorities have given reasons why the controversial pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, cannot be granted bail in Finland.

A Senior Detective Superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, Mikko Laaksonen, told Punch newspaper on Saturday that the Finnish legal system does not permit bail for suspects accused of the kind of offences Mr Ekpa is accused of.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Ekpa was arrested alongside four others on 21 November on suspicion of terrorist activities.

The Finnish police said Mr Ekpa “has contributed to violence and crimes against civilians in South-eastern Nigeria.”

The District Court of Päijät-Häme later ordered that the pro-Biafra agitator be imprisoned “with probable cause on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.”

He is expected to face charges in May 2025, according to Finnish authorities.

Mr Ekpa was indicted for financing terrorism alongside the four other suspects. The police have a suspicion that the Biafra agitator committed the crime of collecting money in violation of the Finnish Money Collection Act. The Finnish police said he allegedly committed the crimes between 23 August 2021 and 18 November 2024 in Lahti, a town in Finland.

IPOB is a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra, which it wants carved out from the south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria. The separatist group has been linked to some deadly attacks in the two regions, although it has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.

Meanwhile, hours after the arrest, the IPOB faction loyal to Mr Kanu disowned Mr Ekpa last Friday, explaining that the pro-Biafra agitator was never their member.

When asked if Mr Ekpa’s charges were bailable or if the prosecution was disposed to releasing him on bail, Mr Laaksonen responded, “Finnish criminal procedure/coercive measures do not recognise bail procedure. Our procedure is based on, depending on the case, remand or travel ban as coercive measures for limiting freedom of movement for persons suspected of offences to which such measures are applicable.”

The situation implies that Mr Ekpa will remain imprisoned until May 2025, when he is scheduled to face trial at the District Court of Päijät-Häme in the North European country.

Belgium made history on Sunday by becoming the first country in the world to allow sex workers to sign formal employment contracts, granting them access to benefits such as sick leave, maternity pay, and pensions.

The new law also ensures fundamental rights for sex workers, including the ability to refuse clients, set conditions for their work, and halt an act at any time.

Although the legislation was passed in May, it officially came into effect on Sunday.

“I am a very proud Belgium sex worker right now,” said Mel Meliciousss, a member of the Belgian union of sex workers, UTSOPI, in an Instagram post.

“People who are already working in the industry will be much more protect[ed], and also people who are going to work in the industry also know what their rights are.”

Belgium had already refrained from criminalizing the act of offering or paying for sexual services, focusing instead on penalizing brothels and third parties involved in supporting sex work—such as landlords, bankers, and drivers—under accusations of “pimping.”

However, in 2022, lawmakers voted to decriminalize sex work and refine the definition of pimping, allowing sex workers greater access to essential services without legal obstacles.

The new law extends these efforts by providing sex workers with labour rights equivalent to those in other professions.

These include access to pensions, health insurance, unemployment benefits, family allowances, annual vacations, and maternity leave.

Employers must now obtain authorization, have no prior convictions for sexual assault, human trafficking, or fraud, and maintain clean and safe premises equipped with panic buttons. They are also prohibited from dismissing workers who refuse a client or specific act.

These changes reflect years of advocacy by Belgium’s sex worker union, UTSOPI, which highlighted the precarious conditions faced by workers before these protections.

Many were forced to continue working well into pregnancy or past retirement age due to a lack of benefits.

“This law is a huge step forward, ending legal discrimination against sex workers by allowing a full-fledged contract,” the union stated in May.

The protections apply only to sex workers with formal employment contracts and do not extend to self-employed workers or those involved in pornography or striptease.

Belgium’s reforms stand out even among other countries where sex work has been decriminalized, such as New Zealand, the Netherlands, and parts of Australia, as they provide a new level of comprehensive labor protections.

In the United States, Nevada remains the only state where brothels are legal, while prostitution outside of these establishments remains prohibited.

“Bros, I dey hail oh”

“I dey greet. What’s up?”

“We couldn’t finish our gist last week. But since then, so much has happened. That is why I am calling. Just to pick your brains, bro.” 

“You will have to let me finish this bowl of hot piping amala and orisirisi before it gets cold, and then we can talk.”

“You and food. Apparently, there is no food inflation on your side. With the serious food inflation in the country and the cancer of hunger messing up many families under Tinubu, you still get a chance to swallow dollops and draw soup.” 

“It is God. Even though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death…Psalm 23 is sufficient for every child of God. In the midst of darkness, and enemies, the good Lord provides for His own. Let me enjoy my amala and ewedu soup. When I worship my stomach, I am also invariably worshipping God and preparing for heaven. Not to deceive you, this amala is going to the very right parts of my stomach”

“Glutton. Wackie and quench”

“Hmm. Ha..Uh. Hu. Ech hen. Hen Hen. Who did you say killed the mother of Jesus Christ? Ha. Ha aaa”

“Food will not kill you one day. You better drink some water.”

“Hen. Hen Jesus is Lord”

“I am actually trying to tell you that the Lord has done it. Port Harcourt Refinery is now working at 70 to 90 percent. The Old refinery is back on stream. The new refinery will join shortly and Warri refinery too. We should be joyous.The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been put to shame. And it is a bigger shame that they have not deemed it necessary to congratulate President Tinubu and NNPC Limited who have both fulfilled an important pledge.” 

“The Labour Congress is not a chorus group. Not an alleluia group like the National Assembly. They are a pressure group, an advocacy movement. You are asking for too much”

“When government does something that is good, we should be able to say so. It is not every time that we condemn and dismiss. We should be fair.” 

“There is nothing to be fair about. There are questions that have not been answered. What exactly have they completed? The old refinery or the new. A refinery or a blending plant, relying on Crack 5 from Eleme Petrochemicals now known as Indorama?  Who has lifted what? I hear marketers are not yet loading trucks”

“I hear trucks are being loaded”

“Has anybody talked to the elders and youths for whom petrol production is the mainstay of their community?”

“Which community? This is not about community youths and elders looking for hand-outs or royalties or whatever they call it. Oil refining is a sophisticated business. It has no room for street urchins, claiming Nigeria’s oil belongs to their forefathers. This is technical business, not a project for village thugs”

“Be careful. In everything you must carry the people along.”

“Look. Look, the people are oftentimes the problem. Everything that government tries to do for the common good, some people just think it is their lifetime ambition to sabotage everything.”

“More like some people in government suffering from executive arrogance, and we see it all the time. If the people ask questions, you explain to them. Is the refinery already loading products or not? Simple answer.”

“We live in a country where some people don’t want to see anything good in government. Negative people. I listened to one Mr. Tony Ogbuigwe on Arise News discussing this same subject. He is President, Society of Chemical Engineers. He explained everything. He was formerly in charge of the Port Harcourt Refinery. He spoke like an expert, but Nigerians refused to listen. Some people still came on the same TV station the following day to just talk.” 

“Mr. Engr. Ogbuigwe spoke for himself. I am not duty-bound to accept his thoughts.” 

“You are an Obidient, what else do I expect from you? Is that not the same attitude you people have brought to the issue of tax reform? Four brilliant bills sent to the National Assembly by the Federal Government to reform the tax regime in the country, look at all the confusion you naysayers have generated. Senators from the North are kicking. Northern Governors Forum and the National Governors Forum think the bills are against them. Even Northern Youths are fighting any Northern Leader like the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin who asks for tax reform.”

“Are the Northern youths also Obidients?”

“They are behaving like that. People are all speaking out of mischief and ignorance. I suspect foul play over a subject that should not generate any problem. Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chair of the Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy and FIRS Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji and others went to the National Assembly to make a presentation on the four bills, Senator Ali Ndume, Senator Abdul Ningi and others staged a walk-out claiming that the presentation was not on the Order Paper for the day.”

“Yes. They were right. Government must learn to do things the proper way.”

“So why did they come back?”

“Because they are more interested in the common good.” 

“Leave that matter. Ningi and Ndume have an axe to grind. Ningi was suspended from the Senate for a while. Ndume was removed as Chief Whip. You think they will be happy? The one that surprised me is Professor Baba Gana Zulum going on television to protest. A Professor. Somebody that we all like.” 

“Because you all like him, he should not have an opinion?”

“I expected that someone like him would have read the Bills. How would he say openly that if the bills are passed, there would be consequences for the people? Oyedele and Adedeji in their presentations have made it clear that the four tax bills will promote inclusion, equity, fairness and justice. It will defend the interest of the poor. It will task the rich to pay more. It will promote Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. It will change the formula for tax administration. Every state will get 50%, the Federal Government 10%, local councils 35%. Distribution to the states and local governments will be on the basis of derivation. And every state will collect what its people consume through sales tax. No state will collect taxes on imports and exports and international services. Fair enough. I believe the tax reform will encourage competition. Why should Sokoto state or Zamfara collect VAT on beer that is consumed in Lagos, when people in Sokoto and Zamfara are not allowed to drink beer?” 

“Very good. Executive arrogance minus political intelligence. This is what we are dealing with here. Not so?”  

“There will be public hearings. The Bills have not been passed into law yet. Did you see Oyedele on TV yesterday? He gave brilliant explanations.”

“We have seen kangaroo public hearings in this country. The Federal Government should have carried stakeholders along. Organize a robust debate. The Oyedele committee should also have spoken to the public.” 

“It did”

“To APC members?”

“There was consultation with Governors”

“We know about such consultations. But the Governors are saying not all of them were consulted and they needed more time to understand the bills.  Professor Zulum asked the right question: why the rush? Let nobody give the impression that once Tinubu decides, then it is done. This is a democracy. We, the people, have the right to ask questions. Nobody should blackmail us into anything.” 

“Nobody is blackmailing anybody. Lazy Nigerian Governors must learn to be productive. President Tinubu wants to teach them to compete and be productive in their states.”

“Okay. The headmaster knows it all. He should just be careful, especially now that members of his own party are beginning to criticize him openly. He has not spent two years in office, his party members are questioning his judgement.”

“Who are those ones?”

“Jesutega Onokpasa for example”

“Who is he to criticize Tinubu?” 

“He is Chairman of the Tinubu Media Support Group”

“Who knows him? Let him go and sit down”

“This is the arrogance that I am talking about. By the way, is the President back from France? They told us he would be away for three days on a state visit. I hope he has not gone missing again for a few more days after a fashion?”

“Are you alright? Show some respect please.” 

“I asked a simple question. If he is back, yes. If he is not back, No.”

“Google it”

“You are an APC man. you should be able to tell me. We have the right to know. Two days. One. Two. Friday. Saturday. We have the right to know where our President goes. He is Chief Foreign Policy Officer. But he cannot travel every market day looking for investors. He must stay at the market and man the stall too. Over 30 trips in less than two years. Haba.”

“Investments and diplomacy are critical parts of his assignment.”

“Accountability is also part of his responsibility. And how would the four tax bills help to attract foreign investments too?”

“Stop beating yourself over nothing. Presidential powers can make anything happen. Look at President Joe Biden of the United States. He has just pardoned his son, Hunter Biden and he hopes all Americans will understand where he is coming from. The fellow was convicted in two cases of federal felony: a gun charge in Delaware and tax convictions in California. His sentencing was scheduled for December 12 and 16. Ahead of that, his father has granted him full and unconditional pardon, not just for the two criminal offences, but also for any offence that he may have committed, or may be suspected to have committed between January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.”

“The man simply transferred his immunity to his own son, and saved him from going to jail. This is the same man who in June categorically ruled out a pardon or a commutation for his son. He said he would abide by the jury’s decision”

“That is what it means to be a President. And Biden is not the first American President to use presidential powers to protect a relative. In 2001, President Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother, Roger Clinton who was in jail for a cocaine-related offence.” 

“I stand with Donald Trump in this matter. It is an abuse of Presidential powers. It is a miscarriage of justice.” 

“Which Donald Trump? Kettle calling pot black. In 2020, Trump as President pardoned Charles Kushner, the father-in-law of his daughter Ivanka. He has just named the same Charles Kushner as his Ambassador-designate to France. If you were President Joe Biden, you will open your eyes and allow a judge to send your son to jail because you want to be seen to be upright? If you were in his shoes, you will leave office and allow your son to be in jail under a President Trump? He was very clear. He said his son was singled out and that there had been a miscarriage of justice”

“Pardoning his son casts a pall over his legacy.”

“So be it. When you become President, don’t use the powers God has given you. Allow your opponents to ride roughshod over you. The problem with governance is actually the people, particularly journalists who will not mind their business.”

“Journalists are not supposed to mind their business. Any journalist that minds his or her business is not a journalist.”

“And that is why journalists get knocked on the head. I am a journalist. I am a journalist. That was how Fisayo Soyombo found himself in army detention in Port Harcourt. He was lucky the social media cried out.    He could have disappeared for a whole year before anybody will trace his whereabouts.”

“Soyombo, founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) is not just a journalist. He is one of the finest in the trade. He is a courageous investigative journalist who exposes the underbelly of corruption in our society. A man of courage who has exposed the criminal practices in prisons, the mistreatment of soldiers at the warfront, vehicle smuggling across the border and the inefficiency of the police. He was on duty in Port Harcourt to investigate the menace of illegal oil bunkering and crude oil theft. Rather than arrest the oil bunkerers, Nigerian soldiers arrested him and allowed the oil thieves to go scot-free. Is that what you recommend?” 

“If you make yourself a suspect, you can be arrested and interrogated. What is wrong in that?”

“What is wrong is that in this country the good guys get punished, the bad guys get a pat on the back. The army interrogated Soyombo and before they released him, they had reported everything he said to the oil thieves, thus placing him in harm’s way.”

“You have no proof. There is always another side to any story.”

“He was very specific. He mentioned names.”

“Who?”

“You should know. I think you always hear and see things.”

 “I hear President Biden is visiting Angola, keeping his promise to visit sub-Saharan Africa before he leaves office. I am surprised he is not visiting Nigeria on his first visit to Africa.” 

 “What does it matter? He is leaving anyway. He has less than two months in office before he leaves the White House. And you can be sure when that visit is over, he will go straight back home… Maybe Trump will visit Nigeria.”

 “He will come and visit you at home”

“Yes. Why not? He is after all, our in-law”

“I also hear the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has directed the money deposit banks and the Fintech firms to start charging Electronic Money Transfer Levy of N50 on any electronic inflow of N10, 000 and above.”

“For what? Why?”

“To generate revenue for government distribution”

“No. To further tax the people and punish them and to create another avenue for corruption. Distribute our money to which government? What do they ever do with all the taxes? I am willing to pay tax but I want to be sure that what is taken from me is used to build roads, fund education and healthcare and promote the common good, not the greed of government officials.” 

“Nobody has ever liked the tax man. This is the real issue.” 

“The real issue is President Tinubu saying Nigerians lived a fake life before he became President. He has forgotten he was part of that fake world too.”

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), has revealed that 70% of Nigerians approached for a bribe in 2023 rejected it on at least one occasion.

Dr. Aliyu disclosed this during a conference with State Attorneys-General from the North-West region in Kano, which focused on strengthening the ICPC’s capacity for corruption prevention. Themed “Establishing a community of practice for Attorneys General,” the event aimed to foster long-term partnerships in building a united front against corruption in Nigeria.

“No single arm of government or tier of government or agency can fight corruption because we need to come together locally, regionally, and internationally for us to fight corruption. This is an opportunity to enhance our collaboration to ensure that we create a system of accountability and transparency in our dear country,” he said.

Dr. Aliyu urged North-West Attorneys-General to closely collaborate with the ICPC to reinforce systems of accountability and transparency that serve the people. He also noted that in the North-West, 76% of individuals who encountered bribery demands resisted, marking the highest refusal rate among Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

“However, despite these challenges, the positive news is that 70 per cent of Nigerians approached for a bribe in 2023 refused to comply on at least one occasion. In the North-West, 76 per cent of individuals who encountered bribery requests resisted the highest refusal rate among Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, indicating growing resistance to bribery in the region,” he said.

Dr. Aliyu emphasized that collective efforts are vital for achieving long-term success in the fight against corruption. “As stakeholders, we must continue to encourage the people of the North-West to resist bribery demands. As Chairman of the ICPC, I am committed to ensuring that the Commission uses its law enforcement powers and preventive measures which include enlisting and fostering public support in combating corruption in Nigeria within the confines of the law.”

Kano Chief Judge, Justice Dije Abdu Aboki, commended the ICPC’s proactive approach in prioritizing preventive measures to combat corruption. According to her, while enforcement and prosecution are essential, prevention offers a more sustainable strategy by addressing the root causes of corruption.

“This approach aligns with the Judiciary’s role in interpreting laws that not only punish but also deter corrupt practices. We are well aware that no single entity can combat corruption in isolation. This is why the initiative to establish a community of practice among attorneys general is commendable, as it fosters collaboration, shared learning, and the harmonization of strategies across states,” she said.

Justice Aboki also highlighted the steps taken by the Kano State Judiciary to ensure accountability within its ranks, including the establishment of the Judicial Public Complaints Committee (JPCC), which investigates allegations of misconduct, abuse of power, and corruption. “With a mandate to act independently in order to ensure transparency, the JPCC serves as a mechanism for investigating allegations of misconduct, abuse of power, and corruption within the Judiciary,” she noted.

Other notable speakers at the conference included the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Dr. Abdullahi Usman Bello, the Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, Justice Muhammad Lawal Shu’aibu, as well as the Attorneys-General of Sokoto, Kano, Zamfara, Kaduna, and others.

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has reacted to a trending video of some security officers scooping fuel from a broken-down petrol tanker. 

The video made the rounds on social media with many Nigerians slamming men of the police for partaking in such an act.

Adejobi in a statement released this morning, clarified that the officers filmed scooping fuel from the wreckage of a tanker are not officers of the Nigeria Police Force but from a neighbouring francophone country. 

According to him, the officers caught on tape wore camouflage uniforms that beared a resemblance to the Nigeria Police uniform. He added that the captured officers were speaking in french languagenm and not a Nigerian language or English language.

‘’The viral video circulating in the media that depicts uniformed personnel in camouflage scooping fuel from the wreckage of an accidented tanker was just released to discredit the Nigeria Police Force. It is essential to clarify that the individuals in the video are not officers of the Nigeria Police Force. They are uniformed personnel from a neighbouring francophone country whose camouflage uniforms bear a resemblance to the Nigeria Police's. The captured officers were speaking in french languages, not a Nigerian language or English.

We strongly condemn the spread of such disinformation and unverified news and contents aimed at tarnishing or discrediting the image of the Nigeria Police Force. Such actions not only undermine the integrity of the force but also have far-reaching negative consequences for the nation and its people.

 

The Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of the IGP, remains committed to upholding discipline, professionalism, and dedication to the safety and security of all Nigerians. Acts that compromise the reputation of the force are unequivocally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We urge all Nigerians to exercise caution and verify information before sharing it, to foster national unity and uphold the credibility of institutions working tirelessly for public safety.''

Watch the the video below