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Revenue board seals NDDC’s office in Yenagoa over N336m tax liability

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  • As EFCC arraigns Justice Nganjiwa for  $260,000, N8.6m unlawful enrichment

The Bayelsa Board of Internal Revenue (BIR), on Friday sealed off the Bayelsa office of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), over alleged non-remittance of N336million Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax liability.

The BIR enforcement team served a court order on the staff before they ordered them to leave their offices.

The Director of Compliance, Mr Robert Lokoson, who led the enforcement team, said the state government took the steps following fruitless efforts made to recover the outstanding tax deducted from workers’ salaries since 2014.

Lokoson said the operation was part of renewed efforts to boost the internally generated revenue of the state.

“This operation is part of efforts to recover tax revenue owed to the government by Niger Delta Development Commission and pursuant to Section 104 of Personal Income Tax Law, 2011.

“The debt has been owed since 2014 and we have written series of letters to them to pay, but no response from them.

“Four weeks back, we came and persuaded the management of NDDC to pay, but when it became obvious they were not ready to pay, we had to approach the courts to get the orders to seal their office.

“So, we have to take this last resort of getting court orders, after we had exhausted other options ’’ the director said.

He said at the expiration of 14 days, if the tax liability was not settled, the revenue board will be compelled to liquidate assets of NDDC to recover the tax debt.

Meanwhile staff of the NDDC who were forced out of their offices, wondered why the commission could not remit the taxes deducted from their salary.

The Bayelsa representative on the NDDC board, Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, was not available when the team visited for the tax drive.

In the meantime, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday arraigned a serving judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, for alleged unlawful enrichment to the tune of $260,000 and N8,650,000.

Justice Nganjiwa, who is attached to the Bayelsa Division of the Federal High Court, was arraigned on 14 counts before the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere.

His arraignment followed the dismissal of a preliminary objection he filed to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to try him.

Justice Nganjiwa’s lawyer, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), had contended that by virtue of Section 158 of the 1999 Constitution, only the National Judicial Council had the power to deal with the kind of allegations brought against the serving judge by the EFCC.

But counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, had, in opposition, contended that despite being a serving judge, Justice Nganjiwa had no immunity from criminal prosecution.

Oyedepo stressed that Section 308 of the constitution, which specified government officials who had immunity as the President, Vice-President and state governors, did not include a serving judge.

He also argued that though Section 158 of the Constitution vested the NJC with administrative power to discipline an erring judicial for misconduct, the NJC did not have the power to look into criminal allegations against judges.

He urged the court to dismiss the preliminary objection and order Justice Nganjiwa to proceed into the dock for his arraignment.

In a ruling on Friday, the presiding judge, Justice A.A. Akintoye, upheld Oyedepo’s argument and dismissed Justice Nganjiwa’s preliminary objection.

Justice Akintoye held, “This court, having been properly constituted, has the power to try this case. The notice of preliminary objection, I hold, is therefore misconceived and same is hereby dismissed.”

After the ruling, the charges were read to Justice Nganjiwa but he pleaded not guilty to all the 14 counts.

In the charges, the EFCC accused him of unlawfully enriching himself as a public official by allegedly receiving a total of $260,000 and N8.65m through his bank account between 2013 and 2015.

The EFCC claimed that the judge could not explain the source of the funds, adding that he acted contrary to Section 82(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No. 11, 2011.

Justice Nganjiwa was also accused of giving false information to operatives of the EFCC, which, the prosecution said, amounted to an offence under Section 39(2) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2014.

But the accused judge denied all the allegations.

Following the arraignment, Clarke urged Justice Akintoye to admit his client to bail on self-recognisance being a serving judge.

But Oyedepo pleaded with the court not to grant Justice Nganjiwa bail on self-recognisance but to impose “serious conditions” that would compel his appearance in court for his trial.

Additional report from Punch

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Bandit Leader, Bello Turji, Denies Being Sponsored By Matawalle

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Bandit Leader, Bello Turji, Denies Being Sponsored By Matawalle

The Notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, has denied that his group is being sponsored by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

 He however maintained that his group’s operations were divinely ordained.

Turji’s declaration comes amidst a public dispute between Matawalle and his successor, Governor Dauda Lawal, as the two traded accusations of who supports terrorism in Zamfara State.

A situation watcher opined that Turji’s assertion clearly exonerated the minister even a cross-section of Nigerians believe the two politicians’ exchange of accusation and counter-accusations was politically motivated.

It would be recalled that some politicians have exchanged accusations, with Matawalle recently daring Lawal to swear on the Quran that he is not connected to the state’s banditry crisis.

In response, Turji denied any involvement of  Matawalle in the ongoing banditry, rejecting claims that his group is receiving political backing from the former governor.

In his latest video, Turji stated that “Governor Dauda Lawal accusing Bello Matawalle of being a terrorist sponsor won’t solve anything.

“When Matawalle was governor, who was sponsoring us? Likewise, when Abdulaziz Yari was governor, who was sponsoring us? No one is supporting us except God,” he said.

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#EndBadGovernance: Court Admits 10 Protesters to N10m Bail Each 

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Ex-OAU Murder: Appeal Court Adjourns For Judgment

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday admitted 10 #EndBadGovernance protesters charged with treason to a N10 million bail each with one surety each like sum.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling on their bail applications, agreed with the submissions of the counsel for the defendants.

Justice Nwite ordered that each of the defendants’ sureties must own a landed property in Abuja and submit the property documents to the court’s registrar.

The press reported that the Federal Government had, on Sept. 2, arraigned the protesters on counts bordering on treason, intent to destabilise Nigeria, conspiracy to commit felony and inciting mutiny, among others, which are punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.

The Federal Government, through the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, filed the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024 on Aug. 30 against the defendants.

10 of the 124 persons arraigned included Michael Adaramoye also known as Lenin; Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaluwa Simon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khakis and Abdusalam Zubairu.

It was also reported that some youths staged a nationwide protest against economic hardship in the country between Aug. 1 and Aug. 10.

The demonstration turned violent in some parts of the country, with looting and vandalism recorded in some states.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty.

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Gov. Makinde Begins Annual Leave Aug. 5; APC Begs Nigerians To Shun Protest

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Gov. Makinde Begins Annual Leave Aug. 5; APC Begs Nigerians To Shun Protest

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has written to the State House of Assembly to inform it of his intention to embark on his annual leave.

The governor’s letter was read on the floor of the House by the Speaker, Mr Adebo Ogundoyin, during Thursday’s valedictory plenary held in honour of Mrs Yetunde Awe, the House Clerk.

The governor also indicated in his message his desire to transfer executive powers to his Deputy, Mr Bayo Lawal.

Lawal is to serve in an acting capacity in Makinde’s absence, and Makinde’s leave will begin on Aug. 5 and end on Sept. 6.

“Based on Section 190 sub-section 1, I hereby transmit that during the period indicated above, Deputy Governor Lawal shall be the acting Governor.

“I shall be back from the vacation on Sept. 7,” Makinde said in the letter.

Similarly, the House also swore in Mrs. Taiwo Muraina-Akinola, who was formerly the Deputy Clerk, as the Substantive Clerk of the House to replace Awe who is retiring from the state civil service. Her swearing-in followed her recommendation by the House of Assembly Commission.

In another development, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun,  Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has appealed to Nigerians, especially the youths, to shun the planned nationwide protest.

Oyintiloye urged Nigerians to continue to keep faith in President Bola Tinubu-led administration in its ability to revamp the economy.

The APC chieftain, a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), appealed while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Osogbo.

He urged Nigerians to see a promising future in the government’s framework capable of pulling the country out of the current economic quagmire inherited from the past administrations.

He said that Nigerians’ expectation to get dividends of democracy was high owing to their trust in the president’s pedigree as an astute manager of men and resources.

Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, said that the government was working tirelessly to meet the expectations and yearning of Nigerians.

He said that the intention of the president by removing the fuel subsidy and merging the foreign exchange rates, among other policies was to improve the economy and not to inflict pain on Nigerians.

The APC chieftain said that Nigerians should give more time for the president to fully develop the economy, which is going through the recovery process.

“With all sense of humility and modesty, we must appreciate the people of this country for their endurance, perseverance and unflinching support as we are passing through the dark tunnel.

“But one certain thing is that after these temporary pains, we shall all live in abundance.

“Although the task is herculean, but we are gradually navigating through the storm and challenges the country is passing through.

“In the real sense of it, this present government is working tirelessly on how to stabilise the economy, foreign exchange rates, inflation, and price control.

“With the initiatives and programme designed for good governance by the president, we are getting to the coast of self-sufficiency and economic stability.

“Our people should believe in the leadership of the president and the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration, in due course, we shall laugh last.

“I strongly believe that with a little patience from Nigerians, we shall soon live in abundance. Let’s exercise a little patience, he said.

Oyintiloye, who noted that the president felt the pains Nigerians were passing through, said that was why he pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with him. 

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