Rivers elders accuse Wike of disrespecting Peter Odili

The Concerned Elders of Rivers State have lashed out at Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, following his recent public remarks about former Governor Peter Odili.

Wike had claimed that he had brought Odili out of political obscurity and referred to him as a “General Overseer,” citing the appointments of Odili’s wife, Justice Mary Odili (retired), and daughter, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

In a statement released in Port Harcourt, signed by former Governor Sir Celestine Omehia, former Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru, and 12 other prominent elders, the group condemned Wike’s comments as disrespectful and immature.

READ ALSO:

• Your assessment misleading, APC tackles Obi over socio-economic situations
• Female-led phone thieves smashed in Kano, 5 suspects arrested
• How tax reform will boost workers’ welfare, by FG

According to them, such behaviour runs counter to the core values of unity, respect, and decorum that Rivers State upholds.

The elders specifically called out Wike for using a church event to publicly insult Odili, a respected elder statesman, and his family.

They stressed that elders are the custodians of wisdom and any disrespect toward them undermines the community’s values.

The statement also linked Wike’s outburst to Dr. Odili’s advice against a potential impeachment plot targeting Governor Fubara.

The elders suggested that Wike’s anger stemmed from Odili’s statesmanlike intervention to prevent instability in the state government.

“Wike is acting like a proverbial child who burns his fingers despite warnings from his elders,” they stated.

Rivers elders accuse Wike of disrespecting Peter Odili

Female-led phone thieves smashed in Kano, 5 suspects arrested

 Operatives of Kano State police command, on Thursday, said it has busted a female-led syndicate with an arrest of five suspects who specialize in stealing mobile phones in the metropolis.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna, said the suspects carried out their atrocities in connivance with a tricyclist, a cybercriminal who specialized in buying the stolen properties.

SP Haruna said the syndicate were arrested after a series of complaints about their atrocities.

He identified the suspects as Shamsiyya Adamu, the 19-year-old principal suspect and leader of the syndicate, Idris Yusuf, Al’asan Dahiru, Abdulmajid Haruna and Salim Auwalu.

According to him, “A female-led syndicate of thieves has been dismantled by the Kano State Police Command, with the arrest of five suspects. The principal suspect, Shamsiyya Adamu, a 19-year-old resident of Brigade Quarters Kano, was arrested on December 21, 2024, following reports of stolen mobile phones in Unguwa Uku Quarters Kano.

READ ALSO:

• How tax reform will boost workers’ welfare, by FG
• 7 die, 31 injured in Gombe road accident
• Woman kills husband with pestle in Niger State

“In the year 2024, the Kano State Police Command received numerous reports from residents of Kano Metropolis about a young lady who steals mobile phones from residential houses. The reports indicated that the suspect was using a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid in her operations. The State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Dogo Garba raised a special intervention squad, and the principal suspect was arrested on December 21, 2024.

“The Syndicate’s Modus Operandi is that the syndicate, led by Shamsiyya, specialized in stealing mobile phones from residential houses, using a tricyclist and a cyber criminal to aid in their operations. The suspects would deceive housewives, steal their mobile phones, and swindle money from their victims’ bank accounts.

*Suspects arrested included, Shamsiyya Adamu: The 19-year-old principal suspect and leader of the syndicate, Idris Yusuf, 23-year-old tricycle rider who aided in transporting the principal suspect to commit crimes and Al’asan Dahiru, 24-year-old suspect who specialized in disposing stolen items for the principal suspect.

“Others include, Abdulmajid Haruna, a 27-year-old suspect who specialized in buying stolen properties and Salim Auwalu, a 21-year-old suspect who specialized in swindling money from victims’ bank accounts.

“Six mobile phones have been recovered so far, and efforts are ongoing to recover more stolen phones. Thirty complainants, including 29 females and 1 male, have lodged complaints against Shamsiyya, who confessed to stealing the mobile phones on various occasions in 2024,” SP Haruna however stated.

Female-led phone thieves smashed in Kano, 5 suspects arrested

How tax reform will boost workers’ welfare, by FG

The proposed Tax Reform Bills will significantly improve the quality of life for workers, the Federal Government has reaffirmed.

In response to misgivings expressed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele outlined key measures embedded in the bills.

He said lowly-paid workers earning around N1 million annually (approximately N83,000 monthly), would enjoy full exemption from the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax. This policy would cover nearly one-third of workers in both the public and private sectors.

For middle-income earners, the bills propose reduced PAYE tax rates for those earning up to N20 million annually (about N1.7 million per month), benefiting an additional 60 percent of Nigerian workers. Members of the armed forces actively engaged in combating insecurity will also receive PAYE tax exemptions alongside other ranks.

To mitigate the rising cost of living, the bills propose eliminating Value Added Tax (VAT) on essential goods and services, including food, healthcare, and education, which account for approximately 60 percent of all household consumption. Other items such as transportation, renewable energy, compressed natural gas (CNG), baby products, sanitary towels, and fuel products, representing over 20 percent of household consumption, are also exempted. Oyedele explained that these measures would address nearly 82 percent of household expenses and up to 100 percent for low-income earners.

READ ALSO:

• 7 die, 31 injured in Gombe road accident
• Woman kills husband with pestle in Niger State
• Naira opens 2025 on weak note against US dollar

The tax reform bills include provisions to incentivize better compensation for workers. These include tax breaks for wage awards and transport subsidies targeting low-income earners. Furthermore, the bills aim to simplify processes by removing bureaucratic restrictions on wage awards and introducing caps on taxable benefits granted to workers.

Oyedele explained that the reforms propose VAT exemptions on rent and property acquisition to promote affordable housing. Stamp duties on rents below N10 million would also be waived to alleviate housing-related financial burdens.

The tax reforms also prioritize employment creation through various incentives. These include tax benefits for employers hiring more workers, tax-friendly rules to attract remote work opportunities for Nigerians, and tax exemptions for 97 percent of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The harmonization and reduction of tax rates for large businesses are expected to stimulate growth, creating more job opportunities.

Acknowledging that the tax bills could be refined further, Oyedele noted the importance of robust debates and stakeholder engagements during the legislative process. “The bills in their current form are the most pro-workers tax reforms in Nigerian history,” he stated, urging the NLC to collaborate in identifying areas for improvement.

“We believe the NLC will not intentionally work against the interest of its members. We look forward to discussing specific areas to better serve the interest of all Nigerians, including workers,” Oyedele added.

How tax reform will boost workers’ welfare, by FG