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FG Fights Back, Removes Rivers from Beneficiaries of Planned New Loans

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Rivers State Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike has expressed disappointment over the exclusion of Rivers State from states that are to benefit from the projects to be executed with the fresh loan that the Federal Government is seeking to obtain from the World Bank.

This is as he observed that Nigeria must encourage federating states to harness their resources and generate revenues, including Value Added Tax (VAT) to advance their development.

He described as a sheer act of discrimination the Federal Government’s exclusion of Rivers State as one of the states that would benefit from projects for which it is seeking fresh foreign loans to execute.

The Governor made the observation when the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the SUN (Newspaper) Publishing Limited, Mr Onuoha Ukeh led a delegation to present a letter of nomination to him as the SUN Man of the Year 2020 Award at Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday.

He said; “Look at the money that Federal Government has gone to borrow from the World Bank. Of all the projects, in all the states, Federal Government did not include Rivers State.

“Look at the list of projects that states will benefit from this money they’re borrowing from the World Bank, that they have sent to National Assembly for approval, the only states that are not benefitting is Rivers State.

“It is the prerogative of Mr President; if he says he does not like Rivers State, if the ruling party says they don’t like Rivers State, I won’t kill myself. But leave the one that the law says I should be the one to collect so that I will be able to develop my state,” he stressed.

The governor observed that there are mounted attempts to frustrate federating states like Rivers, to actualise the constitutional provisions that empower them to harness their resources and revenues, particularly VAT.

He decried the situation where the legality of states collecting VAT is not considered on the merit of the law by some public commentators including state executives, rather, they are politicising it and looking at it from the prism of ethnicity and religion.

According to Governor Wike, what the FIRS was doing was illegal and could be likened to robbing from the states.

He said; “You don’t even need to be a lawyer to know that VAT is not in items 58 and 59 of the second schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Everybody knows that. It is not even in the concurrent list. Therefore, it falls under the residual list. It is not arguable. That yesterday nothing happens does not mean that today nothing will happen, or tomorrow something will not happen.

“Nigeria should encourage states to be strong enough to have resources to develop their states. we are in a federal system where we are practising a unitary system. Everybody at the end of the month will run to Abuja to share money. Nobody comes back to the state to think, how do I develop my state.”

Wike explained that the contest against the collection of the Valued Added Tax (VAT) was started by Lagos State which had sued the Federal Government at the Supreme Court. According to him, Rivers State only avoided their pitfall by suing the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, which is an agency of the Federal Government, that was illegally collecting the tax in the state.

The governor explained: “The issue of VAT did not start from Rivers State alone. It started in Lagos State when Lagos State challenged it in Supreme Court. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court said you (Lagos) shouldn’t have sued the Federal Government. All you would have done was to sue the agency. ”

He further observed that rather than commend Rivers State government for seeking to entrench fiscal federalism and constitutionalism, a particular state governor had threatened that the judgement of the court that declared that States and not FIRS are entitled to collect VAT within their jurisdiction, will not stand.

He urged those demanding for a brothers’ keeper consideration to first appreciate the position of the law and situate it rightly.

“Some people say, be your brother’s keeper. I have no problem being my brother’s keeper but why not come out and say, let us tell ourselves the simple truth. As it is being provided in the law, who is the person responsible to collect the VAT.

“When you agree to that, that it is the state, then we can sit down to look at the different problems of states. And not to say be your brother’s keeper while you’re doing an illegal thing, in disobeying what the law says you should not do.”

Speaking further, Governor Wike explained that beyond the provision of infrastructure, his administration is seeking a law that will provide comfortable accommodation for judicial officers on retirement.

The reason, he said, is to ensure that, while in service, the judicial officers can concentrate on their jobs without cutting corners and avoid corrupt practices.

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Shiites Protest in Kano over Killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader

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Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, on Sunday, took to the streets of Kano metropolis to protest the killing of the Supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following a joint attack by the US-Israel on Saturday.

The demonstrators, who are simply known as Shiites, trooped out in their numbers at about 2.30pm in and trekked from the Fegge Central Mosque the Islamic Movement headquarters situated at Kofar Waika in the State capital.

The demonstration, adjudged peaceful, lasted for about two hours, terminating after 4.00pm.

The demonstration was followed by speeches by their scholars that spoke about the state of affairs in the Middle East and its implications on the rest of the world. A special prayer was also offered seeking Allahs intervention for the people of Iran.

The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abudulhi Haruna Kiyawa, resisted attempts to persuade hims for official reaction to the demonstration.

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Innovation Meets Vision As Glo Partners Samsung to Unveil New Galaxy S26

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In a convergence of technology and vision, digital solutions leader Globacom has entered a partnership with global electronics giant Samsung to introduce the much-anticipated Galaxy S26 Series to the Nigerian market. It is a device conceived for a generation that lives, works and dreams in real time.

The unveiling, held at Globacom’s corporate headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos, gathered an august assembly of high-net-worth customers, industry figures and members of the media. The atmosphere was not merely ceremonial; it was symbolic — a quiet affirmation that when global engineering meets indigenous connectivity, innovation finds its true signal.

As part of the partnership, Globacom has commenced an exclusive pre-order window for its subscribers. Each Galaxy S26 purchased at any Gloworld outlet nationwide is bundled with 18GB of complimentary data under the Glo Smartphone Festival Data Plans delivered as 3GB monthly for six months.

In addition, customers receive a distinguished Platinum Number eSIM, accompanied by up to 10GB of extra data monthly. It is a proposition crafted not as an afterthought, but as a deliberate statement of value.

The Galaxy S26 Series itself is a study in assured sophistication. It fuses next-generation processing power with a sleek, immersive display, enhanced camera intelligence, durable battery performance and privacy screen technology. Its Agentic AI capabilities introduce a more intuitive user experience, one that anticipates need, protects data and enhances productivity.

In essence, it is a device built not merely to function, but to empower.

Speaking at the event, Samsung’s Product Manager, Sellout Platinum, Mr. Solomon Osibeluwo, described Globacom as the first partner to host the S26 masterclass session — a testament, he noted, to the enduring strength of the relationship between both organisations. He reaffirmed Samsung’s commitment to deepening this alliance, adding that the S26 Series has been meticulously engineered to enrich the calling, browsing and overall digital experience of Nigerians.

In his address, Globacom’s Head of Gloworld, Mr Mohamed Rabie, underscored that the collaboration is anchored on delivering real and measurable value. Premium technology, he remarked, must travel with meaningful benefit. He expressed pride that Globacom stands as the first partner to offer both the masterclass engagement and immediate pre-order advantages following the device’s launch in Nigeria.

Encouraging Nigerians to experience the device firsthand at Gloworld outlets nationwide, Rabie concluded with quiet conviction: “this moment transcends the unveiling of a smartphone. It signals the unfolding of new possibilities powered by intelligence, sustained by partnership, and carried on the dependable wings of connectivity”.

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FCCPC Uncovers Patterns of Price Manipulation by Local Airlines

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The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has uncovered patterns of price manipulation perpetrated by some local airlines during the last festive season.

The findings are contained in the interim report released on Thursday by the Commission’s department of Surveillance and Investigations, according to a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, and made available to The Boss.

Recall that the Commission announced an industry-wide investigation earlier in January.

The forensic exercise benefitted from data collated by the Commission from airlines operating local routes in the country.

The report compares domestic airline pricing from the December 2025 festive period with post-peak January 2026 fare levels.

Preliminary analysis indicates that fares recorded during the December peak were materially higher than those observed in the post-peak period across several routes despite relative stability in critical operating variables like fuel price, government taxes and foreign exchange.

The differences observed in fares therefore appear to reflect airlines’ arbitrary pricing decisions, including yield management and capacity allocation, rather than any variation in regulatory fees.

Route-level analysis shows that higher fares coincided with periods of reduced seat availability during predictable seasonal demand peaks. On some high density routes, peak fares were clustered within relatively narrow ranges across several operators.

For instance, on certain corridors like Abuja-Port Harcourt, peak fares were several times higher than corresponding post-peak levels. On selected routes, the difference in the price of a single ticket reached approximately ₦405,000. Median fares across the sampled routes also rose markedly during the festive window when compared with post-peak benchmarks.

However, the interim report recognises that seasonal demand pressures, scheduling constraints and fleet utilisation may also affect pricing during peak travel periods.

These factors remain under consideration as part of the Commission’s ongoing review.

Commenting on the release of the interim report, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the review is part of the Commission’s statutory responsibility to promote competitive markets and safeguard consumers.

“This assessment is intended to provide clarity on pricing behaviour during predictable peak travel periods. The Commission’s role is not to disrupt legitimate commercial activity, but to ensure that market outcomes remain consistent with competition and consumer protection principles under the law,” Mr. Bello said.

He noted that the Commission is conducting further structural and route-level analysis before reaching any conclusions.

“It is important to emphasise that this is an interim report. Our next action will be dictated by full facts established at the end of the review exercise.  Then, the Commission will decide whether any regulatory guidance, engagement or enforcement steps are necessary, strictly in accordance with the law,” he said.

The report identifies the possible relevance of Sections 59, 72, 107, 108, 124 and 127 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which respectively address the prohibition of agreements in restraint of competition, the prohibition of abuse of a dominant position, the offence of price-fixing, conspiracy to commit offences under the Act, the right to fair dealings, and the prohibition of unfair, unreasonable or unjust contract terms.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bello announced that foreign airlines will come under FCCPC radar after the ongoing review of local airlines in view of widespread complaints of exploitative fares they allegedly charge Nigerians on certain routes compared to fares in neighbouring countries that are of equal distance.

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