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BIRS Dismisses Existence Of Tax Racketeers In The Service

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The Benue Internal Revenue Services, BIRS, has dismissed as completely false the purported existence of a tax racketeering syndicate being spearheaded by the acting Chairman of the service and selected staff to defraud the state as alleged by a group known as Benue Advocate for Good Governance, BAGG.
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Recall that the BAGG in a recent open letter to Governor Hyacinth Alia jointly signed by Tersoo Abagi and Inelagwu Adakole, drew the attention of the Governor to what it termed the unwholesome illegal activities going on at the BIRS.
The group in the letter claimed among others that “we discovered with great dismay that touts are still collecting revenue on behalf of BIRS office with connivance of some BIRS staff. We also discovered that receipts are being reprinted and sold with the money going to private pockets. This is going on especially at Zaki Biam, Katsina-ala, Ugba and Vandeikya checkpoints.”
The group insisted that the illegality was being perpetrated “under the watchful eyes of the acting Chairman and some other key officials in your government who are bent on sabotaging your efforts towards building the Benue of our dreams.
But reacting, the Acting Chairman of BIRS, Mr. Emmanuel Agema in a statement issued in Makurdi by his Media Assistant Jacintha Benard, described the allegation as baseless and aimed at discrediting the hard work of staff of the service who face all hazards associated with task of revenue collection.
The statement recalled that not long ago “the state government inaugurated a task force on illegal mining, logging and road block to check these illegalities;” stressing that “the fight against this miscreants, who have identified revenue collection as their avenue of criminality, has been ongoing.
“Just recently, the acting chairman met with leaders of the Task Force to synergise on modalities to eradicate illegal roadblocks on our roads. It is therefore, abysmal that a group advocating for good governance would be this uninformed.
“The Chairman, has repeatedly reiterated his zero tolerance to operators of illegal checkpoint and vehemently frowns against issuance of fake receipts, extortion of the taxpayers, and particularly the collection of unreceipted monies at the various Inspection/Monitoring points. The Chairman, is focused and determined to use every lawful measures for tax collection and remittance owing to the fact that taxation is law.
“Recall also that, just after the Chairman’s appointment by the Governor, he inaugurated a Tasksforce Team made up of BIRS staff and security personnel who are saddled with the responsibility of monitoring revenue collections, ensuring compliance, halting tax evaders.
“So far, the Team has recorded some successes, they have made some arrests of illegal checkpoint operators in Vandeikya, Kastina-Ala, Otukpa, Howe, and North Bank areas. Some of the culprits have been arraigned and remanded. The team has also dismantled illegal checkpoints at Amaafu and Gungul.
“It is worthy of note that the Chairman was appointed on June 22, 2023 and resumed office on June 25. He is little over a month in office and so far, he is doing excellently well in the discharge of his duties in ensuring optimal revenue generation for the state to support the governor in achieving the crucial mandate of developing the state.”
The Service appealed to Governor Alia and Benue people to discountenance the said open letter as it was fraught with lies and falsehood aimed at tarnishing the image of the hardworking staff and management of BIRS.

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Rivers Judiciary Denise Media Reports On Issuing Judgement Sacking SOLAD

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The Rivers State Judiciary has denied claims of media reports circulating online that a judge of its High Court issued a ruling in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, there by sacking the sole Administrator of the state, vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).

A statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi yesterday in Port Harcourt, described the purported report as false and misleading, particularly for linking a judge of the State High Court, Justice Boma Diepirii, to a ruling that reportedly came from a Federal High Court.

According to the statement, Justice Boma Diepirii is a Judge of the Rivers State High Court and not of the Federal High Court and currently on Easter Vacation, which commenced on Monday, 14th April.

The Chief Registrar further clarified that the Federal High Court and the State High Court are separate entities, stressing that “the inclusion of Justice Diepiri’s name in the fabricated report underscores the crass ignorance of the author.”

“The attention of the Rivers State Judiciary has been drawn to a fake news report alleging that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, delivered a judgment sacking the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. This is false in its entirety,” the statement read.

“Justice Diepiri is a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not of the Federal High Court as was falsely reported”.

” Additionally, His Lordship is currently on Easter vacation which began on Monday, April 14, 2025, Ihua-Maduenyi stated.

The statement however advised the general public and members of the media to always cross checked information concerning the judiciary before publishing and as well disregard the said report in its entirety as its an embodiment of falsehood and fabricated story.

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Senate Passes Bill For Establishment Of University In Abia

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The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical  and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi

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South East Caucus Kicks As  Senate Rejects  Nwosu’s Immortalisation

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South East Caucus of the Senate has  appealed to President   Bola Ahmed Tinubu  to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu  considering his commitment  to achieving a  practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly  angered by the  Senate’s  rejection of the  need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent  1993 elections  stormed out of the Senate Chambers   and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South),  as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said  late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous  national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite  history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .

Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi

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