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The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has urged individuals and businesses to comply voluntarily with the new tax laws, emphasising the need for public awareness, accurate information and a clear understanding of the reforms.

The service said providing clear guidance on tax obligations, available reliefs and applicable procedures would ease taxpayers’ concerns, prevent avoidable disputes and build public confidence in the tax system.

Alhaji Ismail Abdullahi, the NRS state administrator for Jigawa, Kano and Katsina states, made the call during an engagement with taxpayers and other stakeholders to discuss the implications of the new tax laws for businesses, households, states and local governments.

The discussions addressed concerns about whether banks could automatically deduct taxes from personal accounts, whether loans and money received from relatives would be considered taxable income, and how the reforms could affect small businesses.

Abdullahi acknowledged the concerns, urging taxpayers to rely on accurate information about the laws and the procedures governing tax enforcement.

He said the new tax regime did not, in itself, authorise the automatic deduction of taxes from personal bank accounts, adding that tax collection and recovery must comply with applicable laws and procedures.

He also clarified that the standard Value Added Tax (VAT) rate remained 7.5 per cent.

On business transactions, the NRS explained that money received as a loan should not automatically be classified as sales revenue or profit. It stressed that proper documentation was necessary to establish the nature of financial transactions.

‘For instance, if a trader receives N500,000 as a loan, the amount should not automatically be treated as sales or profit. Proper documentation is necessary to establish the nature of the transaction,’ he said.

The service urged taxpayers to maintain accurate financial records to support proper tax assessments and reduce avoidable disputes with tax authorities.

It also advised individuals and businesses to familiarise themselves with the tax provisions relevant to their activities, identify eligible reliefs, keep appropriate records and seek clarification from the relevant authorities when necessary.

Abdullahi further stressed the importance of understanding taxpayers’ rights, including the procedures for challenging tax assessments or decisions.

The engagement focused on three areas: the provisions of the new tax laws affecting companies, individuals and businesses; practical steps for achieving voluntary compliance; and measures to close the tax compliance gap through improved taxpayer services.

On compliance, Abdullahi highlighted the need for proper registration, accurate record-keeping, transaction reconciliation, timely filing of returns, payment of taxes and prompt responses to official correspondence.

The third area examined the difficulties taxpayers face in meeting their obligations and explored ways to improve service delivery and make compliance easier.

Participants were encouraged to share their experiences and identify challenges associated with meeting tax obligations, including conflicting interpretations of the laws and difficulties with digital tax processes.

The NRS official said feedback from taxpayers would help the service identify gaps, improve its procedures and provide more accessible support to individuals and businesses.

The service reiterated that effective tax administration required shared responsibility, with the NRS providing clear guidance, consistent treatment and accessible assistance, while taxpayers supplied accurate information, maintained proper records and met their obligations within stipulated deadlines.

Abdullahi expressed optimism that improved public understanding, transparent procedures and responsive taxpayer services would strengthen public trust, encourage voluntary compliance and improve the effectiveness of Nigeria’s tax administration system.

An independent ministerial panel investigating the deaths of 33 detainees in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, has recommended N1.4 billion in compensation for the families of the deceased and survivors, alongside the prosecution of officers found culpable in the incident.

The committee also recommended the removal of the NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Abubakar Audi, and a comprehensive overhaul of the corps’ leadership and operations to address institutional failures that contributed to the deaths.

Presenting the committee’s report to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja on Tuesday, its chairman, Jonathan Kure, said the 33 detainees, including 14 minors, died from environmental asphyxia resulting from severe overcrowding, poor ventilation, heat stress, and dehydration.

He described the incident, which occurred between September 16 and 17, 2026, as a preventable custodial tragedy caused by unlawful detention conditions, a failure in the duty of care, disregard for repeated distress calls, and inadequate supervision.

The committee’s findings contradicted earlier claims that the deaths resulted from a disease outbreak, stating that medical and forensic evidence did not support such an explanation.

According to the report, the recommended compensation package comprises N30 million for each of the 33 bereaved families and N10 million for each of the 41 survivors, amounting to approximately N1.4 billion.

The Kure committee also recommended educational support for the dependants of the deceased, medical rehabilitation for survivors, psychological support for affected families, and a formal apology by the Federal Government.

The committee further called for the summary dismissal of officers found principally responsible for the tragedy and their prosecution for offences including murder, criminal negligence, torture, and inhuman treatment, where applicable.

It also recommended investigations by anti-corruption agencies into allegations of extortion and mismanagement of exhibits, as well as administrative sanctions against other officers whose lapses contributed to the incident.

The committee found that the operations were conducted without an approved operational order, proper planning, consultation with relevant mining authorities, or the involvement of specialised mining marshals, adding that the NSCDC national headquarters was also not informed before the operation commenced.

According to the committee, the raids led to the arrest of men, women, and children, and by the evening of September 16, 75 persons had been detained, with 74 remaining in custody overnight after one person was released.

The report noted that approximately 50 male detainees were confined in a cell measuring about 20 square metres, with inadequate ventilation, no running water, poor lighting, and no functioning toilet.

According to the report, food and drinking water were either unavailable or grossly inadequate, while adults and minors were held together in conditions the committee described as cruel, inhuman, and degrading.

Kure said the committee found that detainees began showing signs of distress shortly after 7 p.m. on September 16, repeatedly banging on the cell doors and walls, shouting for help, and pleading for water, noting that despite the warnings, officers failed to open the cell or arrange emergency medical intervention.

The panel confirmed 33 deaths and 41 survivors, six of whom were treated at the General Hospital, Minna, and subsequently discharged.

Kure disclosed that post-mortem examinations were conducted on only three bodies, while the remaining 30 had been buried before the committee’s medical team arrived, adding that in an alleged attempt to destroy evidence, the detention area had been cleaned, disinfected, and altered before independent forensic investigators arrived, limiting aspects of the forensic examination.

Although some survivors alleged that an aerosol substance had been sprayed into the cell before the deaths, the committee stated that toxicology reports and other available medical evidence did not support the allegation.

The report identified serious failures by officers responsible for authorising the operation, managing detention, responding to distress calls, and safeguarding the detainees.

The committee specifically faulted the Niger State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, for authorising and supervising the operation without adequate planning and oversight, permitting overcrowding, and subsequently attributing the deaths to a disease outbreak.

Other officers were also indicted for facilitating unlawful detention, ignoring medical and legal concerns, failing to respond to distress calls, detaining minors, and allegedly interfering with the detention area before the forensic examination.

Beyond individual culpability, the committee identified inadequate detention facilities, weak custodial oversight, the absence of CCTV monitoring, poor documentation, insufficient emergency medical capacity, weak reporting systems, and chronic underfunding as institutional weaknesses requiring urgent attention.

The committee also called for comprehensive reforms covering recruitment, appointments, promotions, discipline, deployment, training, supervision, intelligence gathering, and reporting structures.

A member of the committee, lawyer and human rights activist Deji Adeyanju, raised concerns over what he described as the omission of a portion of the report recommending action against the NSCDC Commandant-General.

Adeyanju, who said he had accepted membership of the committee on the condition that he would not collect any payment from the government, alleged that the recommendation concerning the corps’ leadership was contained in the main report but was missing from the executive summary presented by the chairman.

He called for the omitted portion to be restored, insisting that the recommendation for a comprehensive leadership overhaul should be explicit.

Adeyanju warned that he would speak publicly about the matter if the recommendation was not properly reflected in the report.

He later confirmed to newsmen that the critical aspect of the report was intact in the main report, but was not captured in the executive summary presented by the chairman of the committee to the Minister.

Responding, Tunji-Ojo assured the committee members and Nigerians that the government would act on the report, with administrative recommendations to be handled by the Ministry of Interior and judicial matters referred to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.

The minister said the report would be forwarded to the AGF for appropriate legal action, adding that the ministry would work with the NSCDC to implement the necessary institutional reforms.

He also directed that officers identified as having attempted to conceal or destroy evidence should be suspended immediately, pending further investigation and disciplinary action.

Tunji-Ojo said the government would not treat the incident as another routine investigation, stressing that accountability was necessary to protect vulnerable citizens and prevent a recurrence.

He disclosed that the committee was inaugurated five weeks earlier with an initial two-week deadline, which was extended to allow for a more thorough investigation.

According to him, the Federal Government was committed to ensuring that those responsible were held accountable and that the families of the deceased received justice.

‘The best gift we can give to the deceased is justice, and justice must be done,’ the minister said.

He added that the administration would ensure that the reforms recommended by the committee were implemented, stressing that agencies established to protect Nigerians must not become a source of harm to the people they serve.

Tunji-Ojo also expressed the government’s condolences to the bereaved families and assured them that they would not be abandoned.

He said the lessons from the tragedy must be used to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday joined 24 other State Houses of Assembly in approving the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, a move that clears the path for presidential assent and the eventual establishment of state police.

The plenary, presided over by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, considered the bill after it was transmitted by the National Assembly for concurrence as required by law.

It will be recalled that the National Assembly formally advanced the ongoing constitutional review process by transmitting the Sixth Alteration Bill to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for review and approval.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, said the transmission was in line with Section 9(2) of the Constitution, which provides that any proposed amendment passed by the National Assembly requires concurrence via resolution by at least two-thirds-24 out of 36-of the State Houses of Assembly before it can be presented to the President for assent.

Central among the legislative proposals in the current alteration cycle is the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, which has dominated national discourse in recent months.

The bill seeks to establish a framework for decentralised policing in Nigeria, creating a two-tier structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services. The proposal has received presidential backing following the inauguration by President Bola Tinubu of a Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill to develop the legal framework for the reform.

Proponents argue that decentralised policing will bring security closer to the people, improve rapid responses to local security threats, and address peculiar security challenges across states.

During deliberations, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, described the amendment as timely and long overdue.

The Speaker said: ‘I strongly believe the proposed amendment is a good one for us. For so many years, and at every section by each assembly that has come, we always have a reason to deal with issues that has to do with security of our nation for the security of our people. So, it is a good one for us that this is taking place and happening in this 10th Assembly. Both the Senate and House of Representatives have done their own bits and sent to all Houses of Assembly. I congratulate each one of us.’

Speaking further after the voice vote that adopted the bill, the Speaker commended the National Assembly, but expressed reservations that the current draft still cedes too much control to the Federal Government.

‘Even though we are happy that we are having state police, our interest and position has not been well taken care of in this alteration. As you follow, you would realise that the major control still lies at the central. There is a provision that says where there is a conflict between the State Assembly and National Assembly, the federal prevails. But it is still a step forward. I want to believe that there is hope in the future that will give total control to the state,’ Obasa said.

He thanked President Tinubu for his firm belief in democratic institutions and for supporting the reform.

‘I want to thank the President for his firm belief in democratic institutions. We appreciate him. We commend both the National Assembly and House of Representatives for this move. We are not there yet. We still hope they will do the needful in appropriate time,’ he added.

The Speaker also used the opportunity to advocate for a legislative protection mechanism, proposing the establishment of a Parliamentary Police similar to what obtains in the United States.

‘There is no such provision in the state. There should be in the Act provision for the Parliamentary Police as we have in the United States if we are ready to protect the Legislature. Learning from past incident, a government will demolish a parliament just like that because of one person’s interest and desire. For this not to happen again, Parliamentary Police will go a long way in strengthening the legislation,’ he said.

A year ago, planning a holiday often meant squeezing as many cities, monuments and tourist attractions as possible into a single week.

That approach is gradually giving way to a different way of travelling. More tourists are choosing to spend longer in one destination, exploring local culture and allowing their experiences to unfold at a slower pace.

Known as slow travel, the approach prioritises meaningful connections, relaxation and a deeper understanding of places over ticking off attractions on a packed itinerary. It is also influencing how the tourism industry caters to travellers.

Where the slow travel trend began

The term captures a broader cultural fatigue with hyper-accelerated modern life.

Travelers grew exhausted by treating vacations like high-stress projects where every hour had to be accounted for. The movement stuck because it answered a real need: you focus on connection and presence, not on checking items off a frantic list.

How accommodation and technology are changing travel

Changes in accommodation and digital platforms have made it easier for travellers to explore destinations beyond conventional hotels and large resorts.

Independent homestays, rural retreats, and community-integrated guesthouses are the names that keep coming up. Some are built for complete digital disconnects, while others cater to remote professionals who want to drop anchor for months at a time rather than days.

These options allow travellers to settle into a place, establish routines and experience local life at a pace that differs from the traditional short holiday.

Technology has also made it easier to discover smaller destinations, compare accommodation options and plan longer stays outside major tourist centres.

How slow travel benefits local economies

It’s worth being clear that this isn’t a niche backpacking trend anymore.

Boutique regional travel networks and off-season operators have reported massive surges in annual booking revenue as crowds migrate away from saturated capital cities. Secondary towns and rural villages are seeing economic revitalization precisely because travelers are spending money where they sleep, eat, and shop locally.

That scale of shift only happens when everyday people are genuinely changing how they spend their hard-earned rest.

Why travellers are choosing longer stays over multiple destinations

The individual stories behind those tourism numbers are worth knowing too.

One widely reported example: a traveler spent a month living in a single agricultural village instead of rushing across an entire continent, cutting travel stress and building lasting relationships with regional makers. In another documented case, a group of remote workers opted for an extended stay in a secondary hill town, integrating directly into local community rhythms.

These aren’t cherry-picked outliers from marketing brochures. They’re the kind of deliberate, quiet, genuinely rewarding choices that used to be drowned out by mass tourism advertising.

The benefits of slow travel for individuals and families

The clearest value shows up in a specific kind of personal reset.

Extended stays that let you understand the pulse of a neighborhood. Culinary journeys where food is an experience rather than a quick fuel stop.

One widely shared example is that of a family bypassing a crowded mega-resort to stay at a working farm, letting their children experience local harvest traditions firsthand.

How slow travel can contribute to overtourism

Although slow travel offers benefits, increased attention from digital platforms can bring crowds to previously quiet destinations.

A sudden rise in visitors may strain local infrastructure, increase waste and contribute to higher housing costs, particularly where short-term rentals become more common.

Why rural communities struggle with rising tourist numbers

This isn’t a one-off phenomenon either.

A regional tourism study found that a significant percentage of fragile local ecosystems struggle to cope when unmanaged visitor traffic surges during peak seasons. One specific vulnerability, tracked across rural hospitality hubs, occurs because traditional communities lack the zoning frameworks to balance welcoming guests with preserving daily local life.

How travel apps are directing tourists to lesser-known destinations

One digital shift in particular has become a widely cited talking point.

Travel planning apps and AI itineraries are now actively routing tourists away from congested hotspots and into unmapped rural areas. While this disperses economic wealth, it also risks commercialising places that were never meant to handle high volumes of transient visitors.

The challenge of balancing tourism with local needs

The pattern across most of these destination challenges isn’t that travelers have bad intentions.

It’s that exploration speed and local capacity are quietly traded against each other, and most people taking these trips don’t realise a trade is happening. The modern travel algorithm optimises for ‘hidden gems and secret spots,’ not for ‘can this tiny community sustain fifty new visitors a week?’

How to embrace slow travel responsibly

Slow travel is a genuinely powerful approach for a specific kind of restorative journey, not a blank check to treat fragile rural cultures as a personal playground.

A quiet month in a regional town, a food-first itinerary, a deliberate step away from crowded tourist traps these are strong, mindful choices. Anything involving deep community immersion still requires respect, patience, and an awareness of your footprint, whether you booked it through an app or found it by word of mouth.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has questioned the credibility of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as inconsistent in his political dealings.

Wike also criticised former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, over an alleged $10m anti-malaria fumigation project during his administration, questioning its effectiveness in tackling malaria in the state.

The minister spoke at the official unveiling of the Rainbow Coalition candidates in Rivers State, where he reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu and criticised the political ambitions of opposition figures.

Referring to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Atiku’s reported presidential ambition, Wike asked the gathering: ‘Now we are talking about ADC. Who wants to run as president under ADC? Our Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Do you know him?, I pray you never know him.’

Wike, who recalled participating in the PDP presidential primaries with Atiku in 2022, said he had known the former vice president since 2019 and supported his presidential campaign.

‘I ran together with him in 2022 presidential primaries. I have known him in 2019. I was one of the biggest sponsors for that presidential election,’ he said.

He questioned Atiku’s reliability, saying, ‘He’s not a man that you can go to the bank with his words. He tells you one thing in the morning, he tells you another thing in the afternoon. He tells you another thing in the evening, the next morning he tells you a different thing. Is he the man you will follow?’

On power rotation between the North and South, Wike recalled how some politicians had insisted that the principle must be respected during the 2015 presidential election.

He referred to the position taken by some political leaders, including former Rivers governor Amaechi, in opposing former President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid on the grounds that power should return to the North.

According to Wike, Senator Magnus Abe had questioned the consistency of those who previously defended the arrangement.

‘Now Magnus has asked him a question, what has now happened? Are you not going to stand for the same principle? We are not surprised,’ Wike said.

He added, ‘Knowing your records, you say one thing today, you say another thing tomorrow. No wonder you will be the vice presidential candidate of the same presidential candidate who says one thing in the morning and says another thing in the afternoon.’

Wike also questioned the political combination involving Atiku and Amaechi, arguing that the latter’s reported position on the ticket would compound its challenges.

‘As bad as Atiku’s ticket is, attaching Rotimi Amaechi as the vice worsened it,’ he said.

Turning to Amaechi’s record as Rivers governor between 2007 and 2015, Wike recalled an alleged promise to eliminate malaria through a fumigation exercise.

‘He told us in this state that he will make sure he cures malaria, He said as far as he’s concerned, that there will no longer be malaria in Rivers State. Is that correct? Are you not still suffering from malaria today? Is mosquito not biting you?’ he asked.

Wike argued that fumigating Rivers State alone would not prevent mosquitoes from entering from neighbouring states.

‘This is a state that has boundaries with Imo, with Abia, with Bayelsa. If you fumigate Rivers State, will you fumigate Bayelsa? Will you fumigate Imo State? Will you fumigate Abia? So mosquitoes will still come from those areas,’ he said.

The minister alleged that $10m was spent on the project, claiming that residents continued to experience mosquito bites despite the expenditure.

‘He paid out 10 million US dollars which is 14 billion naira for malaria not to bite you. Up till now, we are still having mosquito bite.

‘If you allow him to be vice president, will he fumigate Nigeria too? Will he fumigate Nigeria so that there will be no mosquito bites?’ he asked.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, revealed before the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, that the Ahmed Kuru-led board of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) obtained board approval before selling NG Eagle.

The commission made the revelation through its witness, Mr Bawa Usman Kaltungo, while being cross-examined by Mr Olasupo Shasore, SAN, counsel for Ahmed Kuru, the 2nd Defendant in the case, and former AMCON Managing Director (MD).

In his testimony before the court presided over by Justice Mojisola Dada, the 4th prosecution witness maintained that the AMCON Board, then chaired by Dr Amos Adamu, duly approved the sale of the airline.

The witness equally confirmed that the entire proceeds from the sale, amounting to about N149 million, were paid directly into AMCON’s account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Kaltungo stated that Kuru did not personally benefit from the transaction after he had earlier claimed in his investigation report that the process of setting up NG Eagle and Super Bravo Limited was illegal.

In confronting the claim, Shasore, SAN, raised the question thus: ‘In your investigation report, you said AMCON illegally set up NG Eagle and another HoldCo called Super Bravo. Please explain to this court how they are illegal.’

Responding, Kaltungo explained that the EFCC relied on intelligence, including a Federal High Court judgment that purportedly nullified the sale of NG Eagle.

Meanwhile, under further cross-examination, the prosecution witness admitted that at the time of the investigation, he was not aware that the High Court judgment had been appealed, an appeal that was eventually vacated and set aside by the Appellate Court.

Kaltungo informed Justice Dada that his memory could fail him, as he is only human.

It would be recalled that the anti-graft agency had arraigned Ahmed Kuru, Kamilu Omokide, former receiver manager of Arik Air Ltd., Captain Roy Ilegbodu, CEO of the airline, Union Bank Ltd, and Super Bravo Ltd, following a petition by Mr Femi Falana, SAN, on behalf of the promoters/shareholders of Arik Air.

Justice Dada adjourned until October 28, 2026, for continuation of the trial.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has disclosed that the North-East zone accounts for 13,965,475 registered voters, representing 13.51 per cent of Nigeria’s total registered voter population of more than 103 million, as the commission completes its data-cleaning exercise following the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

Amupitan disclosed this while leading a readiness assessment visit to Gombe State as the commission intensified preparations for the 2027 general election.

The assessment brought together national commissioners, resident electoral commissioners from six North-East states and senior commission officials for an interactive session with field officers on their level of preparedness.

Speaking at the meeting, Amupitan said the visit was part of the commission’s deliberate strategy of engaging directly with electoral personnel across the country to assess operational readiness, identify gaps and strengthen preparations.

He noted that the nationwide assessment tour began in Lagos on September 7, 2026, covering the South-West, continued in Kaduna on September 28 for the North-West, and proceeded to Enugu on October 20 for the South-East before arriving in Gombe on October 26 for the North-East.

According to the INEC chairman, the exercise underscored the importance of direct engagement with officials responsible for implementing electoral plans at the grassroots.

‘The true integrity of an election is not determined in the air-conditioned conference rooms of Abuja; it is forged in the field,’ Amupitan said, stressing that electoral credibility depended on personnel preparedness, the functionality of operational facilities and effective coordination of election activities.

In his welcome address, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Gombe State, Mukhtar Gajiram Umar, outlined the state’s electoral structure and the commission’s ongoing preparations.

Umar said Gombe had three senatorial districts, six federal constituencies, 24 state constituencies, 114 registration areas and 2,988 polling units.

He put the state’s registered voter population at 1,768,566 following the recently concluded CVR exercise, ahead of the completion of the Automated Biometric Identification System process.

He disclosed that, with the activation of the INECPRES portal, recruitment of ad hoc election personnel had commenced, while training for different categories of election officials was also underway.

Umar further disclosed that the ICT and Voter Registration Department had commenced preliminary technical checks on equipment and infrastructure required for the 2027 elections.

The activities, he explained, were designed to identify technical challenges, assess the condition of election equipment and ensure the availability and functionality of the necessary information and communication technology infrastructure before election day.

Addressing the security situation in the North-East, the INEC chairman said the safety of voters, election personnel and observers remained fundamental to the credibility of the electoral process.

He emphasised that effective election planning must be supported by adequate security arrangements, noting that INEC would continue to work with relevant security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

Amupitan urged electoral officials to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act 2026, the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026, and relevant operational manuals.

He also charged staff to uphold neutrality and professionalism, resist political pressure, financial inducement, intimidation and ethnic bias, and ensure that all electoral activities were properly documented.

The Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Ajayi, said the zonal exercise was designed to determine the level of preparedness across states and identify operational challenges that could affect the successful conduct of the 2027 elections.

She explained that the engagement would also reinforce compliance with the commission’s Code of Conduct and ensure that personnel across the zone understood their responsibilities ahead of the polls.

During the session, directors and representatives of the Voter Education and Publicity, Voter Registry, ICT, Human Resources, and Election and Operations departments made presentations on their respective areas of responsibility.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has assured Nigerians that policies to be introduced by President Bola Tinubu in 2027 will be geared towards ensuring collective prosperity, as she defended the administration’s ongoing economic reforms.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim gave the assurance on Tuesday at a national press conference organised by the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement ahead of the launch of a book titled The Courage to Reform: Architecture of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR – Beyond 2027: Statecraft, Vision for National Renewal, which examines the President’s reform agenda over the past three years.

Describing the reforms across various sectors of the economy as necessary and courageous, the minister said Tinubu had chosen to confront longstanding economic challenges inherited from successive administrations rather than pass them on to future generations.

She recalled that the President inherited difficult economic decisions when he assumed office on May 29, 2023, particularly concerning the cost of the petrol subsidy and a tax system she said placed disproportionate burdens on the people it was meant to protect.

‘When Mr President took the oath of office on 29 May 2023, he inherited hard choices that could no longer wait. A petrol subsidy was draining the resources meant for our schools, our hospitals and our roads, and our tax system weighed most heavily on the people it should have protected. He could have passed the problem to the next generation. He chose to confront it,’ she said.

Acknowledging the economic hardship Nigerian families had experienced following the reforms, Sulaiman-Ibrahim maintained that the sacrifices made by citizens would not be in vain, citing improvements in external reserves, easing inflation and renewed confidence in the Nigerian economy as signs of progress.

‘Those decisions came at a cost, and Nigerian families have felt it. No one in this government takes that sacrifice lightly, least of all Mr President. But I say to you today, with conviction, that the sacrifice is not in vain. The results are beginning to show,’ she stated.

The minister identified the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the new tax laws and financial autonomy for local governments as some of the measures intended to extend the benefits of reform to ordinary Nigerians.

According to her, the education loan scheme is opening up opportunities for students from less privileged backgrounds, while the tax reforms are designed to protect low-income earners and small businesses from excessive tax burdens.

‘Just as the book clearly highlights that the tax reform is in favour of the low-income earners, the tax reform was designed so that those who earn little carry the least of the burden,’ she said.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim subsequently assured Nigerians that the administration’s policies in 2027 would focus on shared prosperity, adding that the government would continue to address the difficulties faced by households as the reforms progressed.

‘Whatever policies Mr President will introduce come 2027 will be towards ensuring our collective prosperity,’ she declared.

On concerns about Nigeria’s increasing borrowing, the minister argued that the country required substantial investment in productive sectors, infrastructure and critical systems to address years of underinvestment and accelerate economic development.

‘Show me a country that has developed, that has a strong economy, that is not in debt. I think the most indebted country in the world is the United States of America. And they’re still borrowing,’ she said.

She, however, stressed that borrowed funds must be directed towards projects capable of generating economic benefits, insisting that the administration’s borrowing decisions were deliberate and intended to support national development.

‘We should be sensitive to the fact that we’re still underinvested in the country and we need more resources. And when we borrow, we put it in places whereby we can see a lot of economic gains in them. So everything is being done deliberately, not blindly,’ she said.

The minister also acknowledged that the benefits of some government policies and announcements might not be immediate, explaining that implementation often required time, funding arrangements and coordination among relevant institutions.

Responding to questions about the implementation of promised measures, she said government announcements did not necessarily translate into immediate action, adding that the administration was working towards fulfilling its commitments.

‘Everything Mr President has promised, most of them have come to pass and this one too, if it’s not come to pass, it will come to pass shortly,’ she said.

On concerns over reports that the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria had increased from 14 million to 20 million, Sulaiman-Ibrahim acknowledged the challenge but pointed to government interventions in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and early childhood education.

She said the administration had increased its focus on skills development and early learning, adding that efforts were being coordinated across government to improve educational opportunities and address the factors preventing children from accessing education.

‘In the last three years, Mr President has done a lot to ensure that we’re not just addressing contemporary and conventional education, but we’re also creating pathways for people to deploy their skills. STEM education has gotten the right kind of priority. TVET has gotten a 360 degrees attention from every level of governance, from the national level to the state level,’ she said.

The minister further urged Nigerians to assess the administration based on its policies and measurable outcomes rather than political rhetoric, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.

She called on the media to provide factual information about the reforms and their implementation, maintaining that sustained efforts were required to ensure that the benefits reached households across the country.

‘As 2027 approaches, the national debate will grow louder. Let it also grow wiser, and let it rest on facts. I urge you, the press, to carry those facts to every corner of this country. Our leader and father has shown the courage to reform. It is now our shared duty to see these reforms through. Nigeria is on the road to renewal, and we will not turn back,’ she said.

The book launch is expected to feature President Tinubu as the Special Guest of Honour, with business leaders Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu serving as Chief Launcher and Co-Chief Launcher, respectively. High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, is the Chief Host, while the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is the host. The Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, state governors and other distinguished leaders are also expected to attend.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to establish a formal mechanism requiring ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to review and respond to strategic research findings, lamenting the poor implementation of publicly funded research capable of addressing Nigeria’s economic, security and developmental challenges.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Deputy Minority Whip, Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki, who advocated institutionalising the consideration and utilisation of research findings in national policy formulation, development planning and governance.

To ensure that research findings influence public expenditure and national development priorities, the House urged Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, in collaboration with Budget Office of the Federation, to integrate relevant findings into national development plans, the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) and annual budget preparation.

Under the proposed framework, the lawmakers urged Federal Government, through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), to establish a coordinated system for receiving, reviewing, referring and monitoring strategic research recommendations from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru; National Defence College (NDC), Abuja; and National Institute for Security Studies (NISS).

The framework would require relevant MDAs to formally communicate their decisions on research recommendations referred to them, indicating whether they had been accepted, modified, deferred or rejected, with reasons for their decisions and details of proposed implementation measures where applicable.

Hon. Dasuki also proposed periodic reporting on the consideration and implementation of the recommendations, with appropriate summaries made available for accountability and policy evaluation, subject to confidentiality requirements.

The lawmakers also cited Section 3 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Act, which empowers the institute to conduct interdisciplinary research and present practical policy options to authorities responsible for national policymaking and implementation. They further referenced Sections 13 and 18 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, which provide for consultation in preparing the MTEF and establish the framework as the basis for annual budget preparation.

On national security, the House called on Office of the National Security Adviser, in collaboration with relevant defence, intelligence and security authorities, to develop appropriate procedures for considering and utilising research findings from the NDC and NISS while protecting classified information and national security interests.

Contributing to the debate, Hon. Joe Onuakalusi lamented that Nigeria’s major challenge was not the absence of research but the failure to implement findings capable of stimulating economic growth, promoting local production and reducing dependence on imports.

‘Nigeria is not lacking in research funding; what Nigeria is lacking is implementation of those funds, a hard work of netting,’ Hon. Onuakalusi said, arguing that substantial resources had been invested in research across different sectors without corresponding practical results.

Citing research into the production of bread from cassava flour, the lawmaker expressed concern that Nigeria had failed to commercialise a locally developed solution while other countries were making progress in using cassava flour for bread production.

‘So, years back, there was research on how to leach cassava to make bread. And by the leaching of cassava to make bread, it was dropped midway. But other countries, where such research came into being, are today up to 70% of the cassava to make bread, but we are still importing flour for bread,’ he said.

Onuakalusi maintained that research should move beyond the publication of reports to implementation, commercialisation and the production of goods that benefit citizens.

Also supporting the motion, Hon. Stanley Olajide said Nigerian research institutions had developed recommendations and solutions to many of the country’s problems, yet policymakers frequently travelled abroad in search of answers that could be obtained locally.

‘These agencies that we have, they are doing a fantastic job. And oftentimes we travel abroad to look for solutions. Whereas most of the research institutions that we have in Nigeria have actually done research. They actually have recommendations and solutions for a lot of our problems,’ Olajide said, urging his colleagues to support the initiative to strengthen public institutions and promote national development.

The House unanimously adopted the motion and mandated its Committees on National Planning and Economic Development, National Security and Intelligence, Defence, and Special Duties to engage the relevant institutions, monitor implementation of the proposed framework, and report back within four weeks.

The President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ambassador Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, has called for an investigation into the deaths of 10 persons at Robertkiri along the Kula waterways in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Sukubo, a prominent stakeholder in Kula Kingdom, said the call followed an incident that reportedly occurred on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

In a press statement on Tuesday, Sukubo urged Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to set up an investigative panel to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident. He also announced plans for a 21-day protest to demand justice for the victims and their families.

He alleged that the incident occurred amid unresolved issues between members of the host communities and the Ibeto Group, whose crude oil vessel, christened Anambra Basin, was being moved out of the area.

Sukubo alleged that the incident involved the vessel and two tugboats identified as Delta Runner and Laura-V.

According to him, ‘The deceased were members of satellite communities and fishing settlements in Kula who had raised concerns about pollution of waterways, fishing ports and creeks, compliance with provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act relating to host communities, and outstanding payments to local vendors.

‘We call on the Federal Government, relevant ministries and human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, to intervene and ensure that the concerns of the affected communities receive appropriate attention.

‘We appeal to His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to set up a panel to investigate this matter.

‘We shall embark on a 21-day protest, starting next week, involving 51,000 youths to demand justice for the deceased and their families. The planned protest would include a march to the Port Harcourt residence of the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Ibeto Group, Chief Cletus Ibeto, as well as demonstrations at the group’s businesses in Rivers State.

‘The proposed action is intended to draw attention to the deaths and the concerns of the affected communities.’

Sukubo urged all relevant parties to cooperate with the investigation and called for a transparent process to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He stressed the need to ensure justice for the victims’ families and address the concerns of the host communities.

Last Tuesday, at least 10 people were feared dead after a boat reportedly capsized during a confrontation over an oil spill at OML-55 in the community.

Meanwhile, Max Shipping Services Limited, the owner of Anambra Basin FSO, denied the involvement of its chairman, Chief Cletus Ibeto, in the recent incidents.

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by its legal officer, Ikeh Chidimma Sylvia, the company said Ibeto did not authorise the deployment of armed personnel to confront the protesters.

The company explained that its involvement was limited to retrieving its vessel, which had been hired to Menal Technical Services Limited under a Marine Equipment Hire Agreement dated September 20, 2024, and subsequently amended through an addendum.