Nation

Auto Policy: FG Dragged To Court Over Finance Act 2020

Published

5 years ago

February 19, 2021

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has been asked to strike down Section 38 of the Finance Act 2020 which gives legal basis to the implementation of the 5 percent levy on some categories of cars which is reduction from 35 percent implemented by the government of Nigeria since 2020.

President Muhammadu Buhari had assented to the Finance Act 2020 on December 31, 2020.

Following the Presidential assent, the Nigeria Customs Service had planned the implementation of the policy.

But dissatisfied with the policy, Pan Nigeria Limited, Lafbart Innovation and Consulting Limited, Mikano International Limited and the Incorporated Trustees of Global Integrity Crusade Network, the Incorporated Trustees of Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN) dragged the government to court to challenge the policy.

Defendants in the suit are the National Assembly, the Federal Government, Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, Ministry of Finance and the Nigeria Custom Service.

The Finance Act 2020 reduced tariff on the importation of Fully Built Vehicle (FBU) from 35% to 5% whereas import duty for Semi Knocked Down (SKD) remains at 10%.

The implication of the policy is that all the businessmen who have invested in the assembly of SKD commercial vehicles including tankers for which Nigeria has a history of competence beyond the New Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) will suffer.

However, dealers in FBU can now import freely without recourse to Nigerian assemblers, including body builders that have existed for generations.

In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/157/2021 and filed on February 10, 2021, the plaintiffs, through their counsel, Ayodele Akisanya and Adamson Adeboro, want the court to determine the following questions: “Whether by the provisions of Section 13(1) of the Customs and Excise Tariff ETC (Consolidated) Act, the failure of the President to rely on the recommendation of the Tariff Review Board to modify duties and levies as mandated by the said Section 13(1) before transmitting the Finance Bill 2020 as an Executive Bill to the 1st Defendant for passage into law and which Finance Bill 2020 includes Section 38 whereat the President purports to modify duties and levies, did not incurably contaminate the said Section 38 of the Finance Bill 2020 now Section 38 of the Finance Act 2020 and render same null and void ab initio and liable to be struck down.

“Whether by the provisions of Order 77(3) of the Senate Standing Order as Amended 2015 the 1st Defendant ought not to have received and if not provided by the Executive, demanded information or evidence of compliance with the statutory condition precedent set in Section 13(1) of the Customs and Excise Tariff ETC (Consolidated) Act as a precondition for passing the Finance Bill 2020 to an Act which Act now contains Section 38 whereat the President purports to exercise the powers granted by in Section 13(1) of the Customs and Excise Tariff ETC (Consolidated) Act but ignored the accompanying responsibility to rely on recommendation of the Tariff Review Board”.

The plaintiffs also sought the following reliefs from the court: “A declaration that Section 38 of the Finance Act 2020 is the by-product of non-compliance with statutory conditions precedent set in Section 13 of the Customs and Excise Tariff ETC (Consolidated) Act and therefore null and void ab initio rendering said Section 38 of the Finance Act 2020 liable to be struck down.

“A declaration that the President, subject to compliance with the precondition set in Section 13(1) of the Customs and Excise Tariff ETC (Consolidated) Act has the powers to modify tariffs, duties and levies without any reference, recourse and or resort to the 1st Defendant for approval or ratification.

“An order striking down all the provisions of Section 38 of the Finance Act 2020 as being invalidly made, null and void ab initio.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants either by themselves, or agencies under them, parastatals and or organization, privies and assigns from implementing, enforcing, giving effect howsoever to the provisions of Section 38 of the Finance Act 2020”.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

Nation

Rumuaholu Community Denies Land Grabbing Allegations, Accuses Obio/Akpor Chairman of Interference in Land Dispute

Published

2 days ago

June 12, 2026

The Tide

The Ekeanyanwu family of Rumuaholu Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State has strongly refuted allegations of land grabbing levelled against it, describing recent media reports as false, misleading, and deliberately fabricated.

The family made its position known during a press briefing held on Wednesday at the residence of Dr. Colonel Ogwumerum Eke in Rumuaholu. The briefing was attended by community leaders, stakeholders, and family representatives.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Dr. Eke dismissed claims attributed to the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Hon. Gift Worlu, which allegedly labelled the family as land grabbers. He described the allegations as baseless, frivolous, and lacking any factual foundation.

According to Dr. Eke, the Ekeanyanwu family remains the legitimate owner of the parcel of land known as Ohia Agbada, comprising approximately 6,000 plots situated along the Obiri-Ikwerre Airport Road corridor. He further maintained that Victory Estate, located within the disputed area, belongs exclusively to the Ekeanyanwu family and not to the Rumuosi Community as claimed by the council chairman.

Dr. Eke stated that ownership of the land had been affirmed by the courts, citing Case No. CCC/22/2015 at the Choba Customary Court. He explained that while the suit was instituted against another family in Rumuaholu, the Rumuosi Community sought to be joined in the matter but their application was rejected by the court.

He further disclosed that the family currently holds 15 subsisting court judgments in its favour relating to the disputed land, including judgments from the Customary Court, High Court, and Court of Appeal.

The family spokesman alleged that the Obio/Akpor council chairman, in collaboration with the local Anti-Land Grabbing Committee, was attempting to undermine the court decisions and dispossess the family of its land through what he described as “backdoor means.”

Dr. Eke accused the chairman of assuming the role of an appellate authority over matters that had already been conclusively determined by competent courts.

Expressing concern over recent developments, he alleged that individuals acting under the influence of the council chairman had destroyed properties worth millions of naira within Victory Estate. He described the action as a direct affront to existing court judgments and the rule of law.

Displaying copies of court judgments during the briefing, Dr. Eke questioned the rationale behind branding judgment creditors as land grabbers, insisting that those challenging the court rulings were the real offenders.

He called on members of the public to disregard what he termed misleading radio announcements purportedly made by the council chairman and urged government institutions and security agencies to uphold the sanctity of court judgments.

Also speaking at the briefing, Elder Prince Ndaokani, Principal Oji Owhor of Rumuaholu Community, supported the Ekeanyanwu family’s claims. He maintained that the disputed land originally belonged to Dr. Eke’s late father, who, according to Ikwerre native customary law, acquired ownership through the clearing and development of the land.

However, the allegations were dismissed by the Chairman of the Obio/Akpor Anti-Land Grabbing Committee, Chief Alex Wali, who responded on behalf of the local government council.

Chief Wali declined to engage directly with the claims made by Dr. Eke, stating: “That man cannot be gifted with our valued response to his tirades. People like that should not be in public but should be rotting in jail for heinous crimes against humanity.”

He maintained that nothing would prevent the council chairman from carrying out his constitutional responsibilities as the chief executive and chief security officer of the local government area.

According to him, the protection of lives and property remains a fundamental responsibility of government at all levels, and the council would continue to discharge its duties in that regard.

The dispute is the latest chapter in a long-running land ownership controversy in the area, with both sides maintaining opposing claims over the disputed property.

By Akujobi Amadi

Nation

Asarama Kingdom Condemns Gruesome Murder of A Commercial Vehicle Driver

Published

2 days ago

June 12, 2026

The Tide

The Asarama General Assembly in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State has condemned the gruesome murder of a commercial vehicle driver by some identified criminal elements in the community.

It would be recalled that on Thursday the 28th of May 2026, the kingdom was thrown into mourning, following the gruesome murder of a commercial vehicle driver by some criminal elements

The Assembly which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt also called for the establishment of a Mobile police and police anti cultism departments at the Asarama Police Division.

The Okangh Ama /Paramount Ruler of Asarama kingdom HRM king Appolus J Nteijaewaye who read the text for the briefing onbehalf of The Asarama General Assembly at the briefing said the community condemned in totality the gruesome incident.

He said the kingdom also extends its condolences to the bereaved family of the murdered driver, stressing that as a kingdom it would leave no stone unturned to ensure that such an incident never occur within it’s territorial space again.

The General Assembly also commended the prompt intervention of the Nigerian police Force which led to the arrest of some members of the criminal gang, adding that even though the crime was committed at Asarama, some of those allegedly involved were not indigenes of Asarama kingdom.

“As a kingdom we use the sober moment of this unfortunate incident to further commend the prompt reaction of the leadership and men of the Nigeria Police Force in Rivers state that led to their effective results aimed at eliminating criminality and deterring the evil ones in our society “

The Community also described the incident as a pointer to the level of vulnerability of not only Asarama kingdom but the entire society, against the background that the sanctity of life ought to be sacred and protected by individuals, groups, communities and governmental institutions”

Meanwhile ,The Asarama General Assembly has called for the establishment of a Mobile Police as well as police anti cultism departments at the Asarama Police Division

It said this has become necessary inview of the strategic location of the kingdom as a gateway to the rest of Andoni communities and Opobo -Nkoro Local Government Area.

“Owing to the peculiarity of our geographical location especially the amphibious nature of Asarama kingdom, intricately linked with its neighbouring inter ethnic Ogoni and Opobo -Nkoro Local Government Areas in general and intra Andoni communities in particular, the relevant authorities should urgently approved special mobile police force,Anti cultism and Marin units to be attached to the Asarama Divisional headquarters”

The kingdom also decried the continuous neglect of the Asarama police Division, since it’s establishment adding that the division up till date,does not have a single firearm as well as enough personnel

It said this situation has exposed the community to activities of criminal elements.

“The sordid state of the only security outfit that ought to police our territory and beyond now seems to complicate the delicate insecurity that we are already exposed to, first as a nation and second as a people inhabiting an intricate amphibious gateway kingdom

“Consequently we hereby cry to the appropriate authorities to urgently equip the Asarama Divisional Police headquarters with adequate men arms and ammunition “the Community said.

John Bibor

Nation

Rivers Commissioner Commends WAEC Conduct, Vows Sanctions for Malpractice

Published

2 weeks ago

June 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.

The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.

“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.

Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state

He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.

“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.

While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.

He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process.

Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.