News

Edo Taxes Paid To Delta Treasury, Stakeholders Allege

Published

3 months ago

October 1, 2025

Stakeholders have lamented the continued remittance of taxes accruing to Edo State Government to Delta, saying this has resulted in massive loss of revenue.

The stateholders, which included commissioners, senior civil servants, members of the judiciary in Edo State spoke on Wednesday
at a meeting the Edo State Inland Revenue Service (EIRS) held with ministries, departments and agencies on revenue collection challenges.

In his welcome address,
Executive Chairman of the EIRS, Otunba Oladele Bankole-Balogun, who
said though the EIRS was making progress in terms of revenue collection, stated that there was the need for all the stakeholders to work together and increase the state’s revenue base.

Bankole-Balogun, while noting that the EIRS has adopted a Treasury Single Account (TSA) to reduce leakages in tax collection in the state, said: “A fundamental tool for achieving this is the single Treasury Account, which we have begun to try and institutionalised. It ensures that all government agency receipts, or all government receipts, flow through a transparent, centralised account for eliminating cash handling, reducing leakages, and, most importantly, improving accountability.

“So, going forward, we want to encourage that all revenue streams be remitted into the state IGR account with proper digital records and accountability.

“Remember that revenue is not an end in itself. It’s just a means and means to better roads, stronger health systems, vibrant education, safer communities and dignity for all the citizens of our state.”

He said the state was waiting for the commencement of the new national tax law and the state would key into it.

Also speaking on loss of revenue, the Managing Director of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA), Engr Stainless Ijeghede, said he had made reports on the payment of taxes of oil company workers in Edo State to Delta, but the Edo State government was yet to take any action on that

“When I go there to work, at the end of the month, I still see in my pay slip, tax Delta, all my years there, I didn’t see tax Edo. What that means is that those people who work in Oben pay tax to Delta State Government.”

On his part, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Edo State, Hon. Samson Osagie,
said that several meetings on the boundary issues have been held and adjustments made, stressing that he expects the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to visit the areas and ratify the boundaries to stop the revenue loss.

He disclosed that his ministry is proposing a Revenue Court Law that would create specific courts to try tax offenders.

Osagie said: “There is the need for Revenue Court and revenue Courts law, the whole idea is to ensure that the entire gamut of our tax system is put together in a way that enforcement and prosecution of tax offenders are easy.”

News

Trump’s Airstrikes: Halt Military Cooperation With US Immediately – Sheikh Gumi Tells Tinubu Govt

Published

6 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following reported US airstrikes.

Gumi warned that American involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereignty.

Gumi made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday.

He said while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.

According to the cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.

Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.

He also cautioned that US involvement, particularly under claims of protecting Christians, could polarise the country along religious lines.

The cleric further argued that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counterterrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.

“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.

“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies.

“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” part of his statement reads.

News

Shehu Sani Reacts To Trump’s Military Strikes In Nigeria

Published

7 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Former lawmaker, senator Shehu Sani, has reacted to reports of United States military strikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West, saying foreign powers cannot permanently handle the country’s security challenges.

Sani made the remarks on Friday via his X handle while responding to a post by the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, which indicated that the strikes were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

According to him, if the reported strikes were indeed a joint operation with Nigerian security agencies, then such action was justifiable, given the threat posed by terrorist groups in the region.

He described terrorists operating in parts of northern Nigeria as “cancerous cells,” stressing that they survive through violence and should be confronted decisively.

Sani also dismissed narratives suggesting that terrorist attacks target only one religious group, describing such claims as false and misleading.

He said: “If actually, the military strikes against the terrorists targets in the North Western part of Nigeria were a joint operation with the ‘Nigerian Authorities’ as posted by the US AFRICOM on their verified X handle, then it’s a conscionable action.

“Terrorists have become cancerous cells in our part of the country.They live by the sword.The narrative that the evil terrorists only targets one faith, remains absolutely false and misleading.

“Again, the ultimate security and peace in our country lies with ourselves and not with the US or any foreign power. They can complimentarily or unilaterally strike, but they can’t eternally fight our battles.”