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Dickson Meets Buhari, Insist On Devolution, Restructuring …As Herdsmen Kill Six In Taraba, Two In Benue, Again
The Bayelsa State Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson has told President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigeria was in dire need of restructuring and devolution of power, saying without it, there would not be stability in the states of the federation.
The governor, who met President Buhari behind closed-doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, said that there was the need to carry every section of the country along, adding that the government should, as a matter of urgency, have a change in the approach to security management, especially in the Niger Delta region.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents after the meeting, the Bayelsa State governor said he had a frank discussion with the President with regards to the ongoing debate on restructuring of the country.
According to him: “I am here this afternoon to see the President and to confer with him on critical national issues, and also on issues that are pertinent to the stability, security and development of Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta region.
“And we had a very fruitful discussion, and I am grateful to the President for the opportunity he afforded me to intimate him on the challenges and also of the prospects.
“You recall that since my re-election, this is the first time I would be here, I am not a regular visitor here. So, I thank the President for availing me the opportunity to share perspectives on very serious issues on security, stability and development of Bayelsa and the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
“We talked about the need to revisit the Brass energy, we talked about the need for change in approach to security management in the Niger Delta, and we talked about the challenges of stabilizing the Niger Delta and the need for federal support.
“We talked about a whole range of other issues, including what we think should be the final response to the ongoing debate about devolution, and I believe that we had a very fruitful interaction.”
On what were his concerns on the issue of security and what he would want the President to do, Dickson said, “I had a discussion with the President, he is the President and Commander-in-Chief, he is the leader of the country, and these issues are beyond partisan politics, and we had a frank discussion.
“He understands the issues because he served in that region during the war when he was a younger officer, he is familiar with the challenges that I have come to discuss with him, and I look forward to collaborating and working with the President and the security officials to advance security in the region.
“Governors of the Niger Delta region are doing a lot, and as governors, we will continue to do our best, working with the security agencies, we should be apolitical in supporting constituted authorities in the states. We expect that this interaction will yield positive results.”
Also commenting on his meeting with the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, he said: “I was in Kaduna to confer with my brother friend and colleague, the governor of Kaduna State. As you know, he chairs the APC panel on restructuring or devolution. And that panel as far as I am concerned, did a good job.
“What we need is what it agreed upon to expand the scope of consultation. My view is that all parts of Nigeria needs to be carried along, and especially the leadership of Northern Nigeria. It needs to be engaged and contacted, and their buy-in and support. It is not only essential; it is indispensable to the success of the new Nigeria we are trying to carve.
“Not only have I visited Governor el-Rufai, in the next coming days and weeks, I will be visiting a lot of my colleagues in other parts of the country. I will be visiting and interacting with a lot of other opinion leaders and stakeholders.
“We are talking about our country and every part of the country has to be carried along. We need to interact and know what their fears and concerns and perspectives are so that we can, at the end, craft a position that will represent the collective aspirations of all parts of our country because this country is in dire need of devolution, this country is in dire need of a return to the essential founding fathers principles of our nation.
“That is when you can have stability in the states; that is when we would have unleashed the huge potentials that exist in every part of the country.”
Commenting on the value of the award given to him by the Leadership Newspapers, he said, “I was conferred with Leadership Award on the account of the modest efforts and investments we are making in the education sector in Bayelsa.
“There is no doubt that sector has changed in Bayelsa over the past six years. We will continue to make more investments. I thank Leadership; I thank all those who are working with me and the team. I am dedicating this award to the good people of Bayelsa State,” Dickson added.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Yorro Local Government Council in Taraba State, Hon. Joseph Sonweri, yesterday, confirmed killing of six people in a fresh clash between herders and farmers in the local government.
Sonweri said though the cause of the crisis was still not clear, but that security agencies were on the trail of the boy allegedly said to have caused the clash.
“I can’t tell you exactly what happened now, because we are still trailing the boy that was said to have led the attack. He is on the run and his family has deserted their house.
“We spoke to him early in the morning but his line is off now so we are trailing him. Until we get him or any of his accomplices, then we can know exactly what happened,” he said.
He, however, said the situation in the area was calm as security agents had been deployed to maintain peace.
Also speaking, the Chief of Yorro community, Chief Ado Adamu Mazan, who condemned the killings, told newsmen during an interview, that he has forwarded their complaints to the commissioner of police for necessary action.
“It was just a little misunderstanding between herdsmen and farmers in one of the villages. We were told that some Fulani herders strayed into a farm belonging to a native, leading to the clash.
“We have since forwarded our complaint to the commissioner of police in Jalingo and has responded promptly by sending security to the area,” he said.
The traditional ruler called on the people of the area to tolerate one another in the interest of peace and development.
Meanwhile, persons suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have killed two people along the Naka/Makurdi Road.
The incident was said to have occurred last Tuesday while the deceased were returning from the burial of the Catholic priests and 17 parishioners killed by herdsmen earlier last week.
The deceased, who were said to be riding on a motorcycle, were said to have been ambushed by the herdsmen who reportedly slaughtered them.
Naka/Makurdi road, which is a federal road, has been abandoned for a long time due to the activities of herdsmen along the federal highway.
A native, who spoke to newsmen said, “The two men were returning from the burial of the Catholic priests and the parishioners when they were attacked by herdsmen.
“Naka/Makurdi highway has been abandoned since herdsmen invaded Naka a few weeks ago. Anyone coming to Makurdi from Naka has to pass through the major road to Taraku, making the journey of 30 minutes’ drive to result in two and a half hours’ journey.
“I think the deceased just decided to take the route; unfortunately, they were killed,” the local said.
Efforts to get the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Moses Yamu, were not successful, as he did not respond to his call.
The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, however, confirmed this while receiving in audience yesterday, the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
“Killing is still ongoing. Just on Tuesday, two people returning from the burial were killed along Naka/Makurdi road,” Ortom told his visitor.
Reps Fail To Override Buhari On Peace Corps Bill
The controversial Nigerian Peace Corps Bill has finally been jettisoned as attempts by the House of Representatives to override President Muhammadu Buhari failed, yesterday.
The bill failed to pass the second reading at the House of Representatives, yesterday.
The House of Representatives, which boasted that it would override the veto of the Buhari could not achieve its aim.
The bill seeks to turn the Peace Corps, currently a non-governmental organisation, into a government para-military agency.
The bill, which was passed by the National Assembly amidst controversy, was rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari, who refused to sign it into law.
Buhari, in February, refused to assent to the bill because it was a duplication of duty and could conflict with the functions of the existing security outfits – the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The bill was sponsored by Emmanuel Orker-Jev (APC, Benue) and passed by the National Assembly in 2017.
In separate letters to the Senate and House of Representatives, Mr Buhari also cited security concerns and financial implications amongst reasons for his decision.
The bill was transmitted to the president in December, 2017 by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Omolori.
The Nigerian police had remained opposed to the legalisation of the corps.
On February 17, 2017, it stormed the organisation’s headquarters in Abuja and arrested its head, Dickson Akoh, and about 49 other members.
The police accused Akoh of using the Peace Corps, registered as a non-governmental organisation, to swindle young job seekers and operate as a para-military agency.
Akoh, who denied the allegations, was later granted bail.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”