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Insecurity: RSG Deploys More Security Personnel To Ogoni Communities
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that the State Security Council (SSC) has directed the deployment of more security personnel to troubled Ogoni communities with a view to restoring peace.
Speaking, last Saturday, when he led the State Security Service Commanders to Kono-Boue and Kereken-Boue towns in Khana Local Government Area, Wike said that the security agencies have been mobilised to go after the cultists operating in parts of Ogoniland.
The governor said: “We will do everything possible to make sure that those involved in these criminal cult activities don’t go free.
“You have to cooperate with us to get the killers. Those who have perpetrated these crimes are known to community members. No armed robber operates in a place without local support. Therefore, support us with credible information.
“I feel so sad that these cultists have killed our people and displaced some communities in the area. We have taken measures to restore peace”, he said.
He said that the State Security Council has adopted new strategies to build the security framework in communities troubled by cultists.
Wike said: “Tell your people to come back. I have come here with the security service commanders to reassure you that we are doing everything possible to restore peace.
“Over the last few days, we have deployed security personnel to the troubled areas. Beginning today, we are going to deploy more security personnel to different Ogoni communities to protect our people”.
Wike charged parents to monitor their children, advising that communities must take measures to discourage youths from becoming cultists.
The governor said that the state government would support displaced communities and families of victims of the cult-related attacks in Ogoniland.
He assured the leaders of the area that the Rivers State Government would complete the road abandoned by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
In his remarks, Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Mr Lahteh Loolo explained that cultists have displaced some communities in the area, and commended the Rivers State governor for his sustained response which reduced the level of casualties suffered by the communities.
He said that with the new strategies introduced by the Rivers State governor, the security challenge facing the area would be resolved.
In his response, the Traditional Ruler of Kono Boue, Chief Ezekiel Manson, expressed happiness with the intervention of the Rivers State governor, saying that when the cultists attacked the community, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and his personnel responded positively.
He claimed that there were no cultists among those who were killed and displaced in the community.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has debunked claims that it is not sensitive to the plight of Ogoni people, noting that some of the major infrastructural projects undertaken by the present administration are cited in the area.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, disclosed this, last Saturday, during a live radio programme monitored by The Tide in Port Harcourt.
Nsirim, who was reacting to insinuations by some Ogoni stakeholders that Governor Nyesom Wike was yet to visit the area despite the spate of violence that has led to loss of lives and destruction of some property in some communities there.
But the same day the permanent secretary responded to the criticism, the governor led top government and security officials to some communities in Ogoni to see things for themselves, and also interact with the people.
However, while insisting that security was the business of all, Nsirim stated that the support Governor Nyesom Wike has given to security agencies was unprecedented, stressing that the governor has shown leadership in steering the ship of state.
According to Nsirim, “We need to make this point very clear. The governor, as an individual, cannot fight insecurity. Security is a collective business. And he has shown leadership. He stands as one governor who has given the highest support to security agencies to fight insecurity in this country.
“A few weeks ago, ‘Operation Sting’ was launched, and if you were there, you will see the massive kind of resources government has put into that operation. It is a comprehensive change of the security architecture in this state.
“Now results are coming, and because of that, a few days ago, he had to give additional 40 patrol vans to the Nigeria Police Force. That is a governor that has political will to tackle insecurity. And the governor is doing what he is supposed to do.
“For people to say that the governor is not doing enough…… The governor is not the police, he is not the Department of State Services (DSS), he is not the Armed Forces, and he is not the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).
“He (Wike) will put in the political machinery, the support of government at all times. And he has done that within the last four years, and he is still doing that. The governor is a lover of the Ogoni people, and he has demonstrated that in political appointments, and in development projects.
“One of the biggest road infrastructure that is going on in this state now is linking Ogoni communities. So many things are happening in Ogoni land. And the governor, as a patriot, will continue to carry the interest of Ogoni people along in the governance of this state,” Nsirim stated.
The permanent secretary expressed the need for all stakeholders to close ranks and ensure that bad elements within the society were identified and handed over to the appropriate authorities so that peace would reign.
“The truth of the matter is that security is our collective business. We need to work together as a people, and then, ensure that the bag eggs within our society are exposed and handed over to the security agencies,” he advised.
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.”