NEWS
House Of Reps To Issue Arrest On FIRS Chairman, Mammam Nami
The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Muhammad Mamman Nami, has ignored invitations six times, according to the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee Investigating the Structure and Accountability of the Joint Venture (JV) Business and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) of the NNPC from 1990 to date.
During the committee meeting, the Investigative Committee’s Chairman, Hon. Abubakar Hassan Fulata, insisted that the panel would use its constitutional authority to order the Inspector General of Police to detain Nami, whom they accused of collaborating with oil companies to evade paying millions of dollars’ worth of taxes.
“Federal Inland Revenue Service, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Chevron and FAMFA Oil Ltd are the four organizations expected to appear before us today. While the three oil companies are here, the Chairman of FIRS is not here to answer questions regarding the allegations of tax evasion.
“The Clerk of the House of Representatives has served the FIRS chairman the subpoena. Yet he refused to honour our invitation. We have no option than to issue warrant of arrest againt him to police in order to arrest and bring him before this investigative committee,” Fulata said.
Hon. Mark Gbila (Benue State) noted that some oil companies’ claims that they are unaware of the CAFA certificate as the basis for receiving capital allowances do not in any way excuse them from responsibility.
The committee reaffirmed that any oil companies found to have paid taxes improperly or to have improperly benefited from capital allowances will be required to pay back the money to the federation account.
According to Fulata, some oil companies that sought capital allowance as early as 1978 processed their Certificate of Acceptance of Fixed Assets (CAFA) and questioned why Shell, one of the oldest oil companies, if not the oldest, completely disregarded CAFA while still receiving capital allowance.
After asking Shell representatives a series of questions under the direction of director Bashir Bello, the lawmakers instructed them to provide the committee with additional relevant documents regarding their operations before or on Monday, December 12, 2022. They are also required to appear before the investigation panel on Monday, December 19, 2022.
Additionally, Chevron and FAMFA Oil were instructed to deliver their paperwork to the secretariat by Monday, December 12, 2022. On Monday, December 19, 2022, the CEO of Chevron and FAMFA are anticipated to testify before the committee.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the military administrator of Rivers State following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly.
The announcement came during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday amid heightened political tension in the oil-rich South-South state.
Tinubu said the suspension would last for an initial period of six months.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Tinubu Suspends Fubara, Deputy and Lawmakers
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months,” the President stated.
Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff who served from July 2015 to January 2021, will take charge of the state’s affairs.
Tinubu clarified that the judiciary remains unaffected and will continue to function as mandated by the constitution.
“The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state,” Tinubu added.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
Tinubu made the announcement in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, citing undisclosed reasons for the decision.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Rivers Assembly Accuses Fubara, Deputy Of Gross Misconduct
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months,” the President stated.
The suspension comes amid ongoing political tensions in Rivers State.
More updates to follow…
In what political watchers perceive as part of efforts to discomfit and scatter the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the feeling that its National Working Committee (NWC) antagonises him, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revoked the rights to occupy the land on which the party’s national secretariat, Abuja is sited.
Biztelers reports that Wike’s revocation notice was conveyed in a letter released in Abuja on Tuesday, dated March 13, 2025.
The letter was titled, “Notice of right of occupancy with file no: MISC 81346 in respect of plot no: 243 within central area district, Abuja.”
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The letter was signed by the Director, Land Administration (FTC), Chijioke Nwankwoeze.
Wike, it was gathered predicated his action on the PDP’s failure to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025.
The negligence on the part of the opposition party, the letter claimed was despite many publications in several national dailies and electronic media to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on its property.
The letter read, “I have been directed to refer to the above Right of Occupancy granted to PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT and inform you that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory has in the exercise of powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, revoked your rights, interests and privileges over Plot No. 243 within Central Area, Cadastral Zone A00, Abuja.
“The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from Ist of January 2006 to 1st of January 2025. This is despite the many publications made by the FCT Administration since 2023 in several national dailies and on electronic media requesting all allottees of plots in the Federal Capital Territory to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on their property.
“You would please note that the said breaches by PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT (MISC 81346) run contrary to the provisions of Section 28, Subsection 5 (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.”
There are palpable fears that the PDP’s national secretariat might be demolished or vandalised, sooner than later because Wike added that the FCTA administration would take immediate possession of the party secretariat until all bills are settled.
Tinubu Appoints Vice Admiral Ibas As Rivers Administrator
JUST IN: Tinubu Suspends Fubara, Deputy and Lawmakers
JUST IN: Wike Renders PDP Homeless In Abuja
Explosion Hits Trans-Niger Oil Pipeline In Rivers
Osun Issues Guidelines For Tractor Operations
