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Wike Hails Buhari’s Proactive Efforts At Defeating Terrorists …Donates N100m To Empower Veteran Servicemen As President, Vice Lay Final Wreaths In Office
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari, for his sustained efforts at defeating the Boko Haram insurgents and bandits terrorising and destroying parts of the country.
This is even as President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, led other senior members of the government, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to participate in their final Wreath Laying in office that marked the climax of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration.
Wike made this commendation at the Government House, Port Harcourt, after the wreath laying ceremony to mark the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration at the Isaac Boro Park, yesterday.
The governor noted that after the civil war broke out a few years after independence, the armed forces were forced to quell the ensuing rebellion, which ended after three gruesome years of internecine warfare.
He added that ever since then, there was hardly a year when members of the armed forces have not been assigned to one bloody combat mission or the other either within or outside the country.
The armed forces, he said, have also been at war with Boko Haram and other armed insurgents in the North-West and North-East of the country for over 10 years, and the “unknown gunmen” in the South-East of the country.
“I commend our President, Muhammadu Buhari, for his sustained efforts at defeating the Boko Haram insurgents and bandits terrorising and destroying our communities in parts of our country. The restoration of peace to our troubled geo-political regions, and the conduct of free and fair general election are the best legacies you can live for our country.
“As leaders, our goal must be one Nigeria, one destiny, and the challenges of building a more fair, inclusive and just society are not beyond us. Therefore, I will not relent in my prayers to God to enable Mr President and other leaders of our country to succeed in our mission and commitments to our country.”
Wike asserted that a grateful country honours her armed forces’ extraordinary bravery and courage during their service and the sacrifices of their families for the common good.
According to him, many members of the armed forces had paid the maximum price or been maimed while fighting in the numerous battles to achieve tactical victories over the enemies of the country and world peace.
“We respect them for the dangerous professional path they willingly chose, and love them as our children, relations, friends and members of our communities in the nation’s service.
“But they loved us more and even more significantly as fellow Nigerians by risking their lives, health, family and future on the battlefields to defend and protect us from harm’s way in return for almost nothing.
“We owe them a great deal as a nation. We owe them as states. We owe them as a people. Collectively, we owe them a debt we cannot repay.
“The much we can do on this day is to extoll their virtues, commemorate their sacrifice, and honour their heroic exploits so that they would never be forgotten for putting their lives on the line for us and others to live.”
The governor maintained that the country must move beyond today’s courtesies, speeches and parades to consider the families, including the innocent women and children directly devastated and thrown into untold hardship by the death or incapacitation of their breadwinners at the battlefield.
This, he said, calls for prioritising the welfare and well-being of the armed forces in and out of service, and their families with a concrete social security package, including prompt payment of terminal benefits and some form of economic security for the widows and their under-aged children.
He recommended that those suffering from various health challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorders, should have the best healthcare and attention from the public purse.
“As a state government, we have, over the years, provided financial support to our veterans through the state Office of the Nigerian Legion. We have since redeemed the N50million pledge we made during the remembrance emblem appeal fund launch in December, 2022.
“Today, I wish to donate the sum of N100million on behalf of the state government for the economic empowerment of the veteran servicemen from Rivers State.”
The governor appealed to well-meaning public and private individuals and organisations to contribute to improving the social and economic well-being of the legionnaires, and the wives and children of the fallen ex-servicemen.
In his remarks, Rivers State Chairman of Nigerian Legion, ACG Justice O. Chichi, commended Wike for the extraordinary kindness, which the Rivers State Government has always shown towards the welfare and support of veterans and the families of fallen heroes.
“My colleagues, widows and dependents of our fallen heroes, particularly the beneficiaries of your scholarship, have asked me to raise my voice and tell you a very big thank you, for the leader in you. We will forever be grateful to Your Excellency.”
Similarly, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, led other senior members of the government, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to participate in the final Wreath Laying Ceremony in office to mark the climax of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration.
The President, who arrived at the National Arcade, Abuja, at 10:05 am, was immediately ushered onto the saluting dais for the National Salute.
Buhari, who inspected the Guards of Honour, accompanied by the Commander, Brigade of Guards, Major General Muhammad Takuti Usman, later proceeded to the Cenotaph for the Wreath Laying Ceremony.
After the President, other dignitaries that laid wreaths were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila; and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Others, who laid wreaths, included the Ministers of Defense, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd); Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mallam Muhammed Musa Bello; the Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor; and other service chiefs,including the Inspector-General General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.
The rest were representatives of members of the Diplomatic Corps; and the pair of the chairman of the Nigerian Legion and a widow of a fallen officer.
The President, who also performed the symbolic freeing of white doves out of cage during the event, had the 2023 wreath laying ceremony as his last as Commander-in-Chief.
Also in attendance were members of the Federal Executive Council, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd); and permanent secretaries, amongst others.
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.”