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…as committee orders CAC to explain ₦13.9bn operating surplus debt

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to submit a detailed account of the nearly ₦34 trillion worth of import duty waivers granted in 2025, demanding the identities of beneficiaries, the legal basis for the concessions and the specific purposes for which they were approved.

The directive was issued on Tuesday during an oversight session of the House Committee on Finance with the management of the Nigeria Customs Service as part of the National Assembly’s ongoing review of revenue-generating agencies.

Chairman of the committee, Rep. James Faleke, said the lawmakers were not opposed to the government’s waiver policy but had a constitutional duty to ensure that such concessions were transparent and served the country’s economic interests.

According to him, the committee wants clarity on who benefited from the waivers and whether the incentives achieved their intended objectives.

Faleke said: “Waiver is good. It is not a bad thing to grant waiver. But we want to know those who benefited from the waiver and the purpose for such waiver. It is okay if you grant waiver on medical and agricultural products.

“If you grant waiver, it is aimed at helping the economy to grow. For example, if you grant waiver on agricultural products, it is aimed at reducing the cost of food. So, we are not against waiver. But we want to know the beneficiaries of this ₦34 trillion waiver”.

The committee also questioned Customs over what lawmakers described as inconsistencies in its revenue reports, despite the agency consistently surpassing its collection targets.

Faleke observed that while the Service recorded impressive revenue performance, the financial records submitted did not sufficiently explain how the additional revenue above approved targets was realised.

“We are not going to applaud your efforts now because your account books are not balanced. We know that you want to be transparent, but you have not told us how the excess money you are reporting came about.

“I can see that in some months, you under-declare your revenue collection and in other months, you overshoot the collection. We want to know what is responsible for this. You have to provide these little details that will help us properly assess your performance”, he stated.

Deputy Chairman of the committee, Rep. Saidu Abdullahi, argued that the Federal Government should consider raising revenue targets for agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service, noting that the Service had repeatedly exceeded expectations.

“I personally believe that they can do more than the target we give to them.

“I think we are not pushing them enough. That is why they will always come up with excesses. In 2024, you were given a target of ₦5 trillion and you generated N6.1 trillion. In 2025, you were given a target of about ₦6 trillion and you generated N7.2 trillion. I believe that if we push you enough, you can do better”, he said.

Responding on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services, Kikelomo Adeola, clarified that the Nigeria Customs Service does not approve import duty waivers.

She explained that the Service only implements approvals granted by the Federal Ministry of Finance in line with existing laws and government policy.

Adeola also advocated greater investment in inland dry ports across the country, saying the facilities would ease congestion at seaports and speed up cargo clearance.

“I will encourage all state governments to invest in inland dry ports. That will have a lot of impact on our operations. Any cargo that is marked for such inland port will not be delayed at the main port.

“The container will be transported directly to the inland port where it will be examined. That will reduce the pressure at the nation’s ports and increase trade facilitation in the states”, she said.

She further assured lawmakers that Customs’ scanning equipment was largely operational, with only a few units currently undergoing repairs.

However, committee member Rep. Ifeanyi Uzokwe urged the Service to hold officers accountable whenever negligence leads to equipment failure or unnecessary delays in cargo clearance.

The committee also scrutinised the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), directing the agency to submit comprehensive records of all registered companies and businesses in Nigeria, including the fees paid during registration.

Lawmakers further queried the commission for failing to submit its audited financial statements to the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) since 2019, contrary to statutory requirements.

The committee ordered the CAC to reconcile its records with the Fiscal Responsibility Commission without delay.

A representative of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission told lawmakers that the Corporate Affairs Commission owed the Federal Government N13.9 billion in unremitted operating surplus accumulated over several years.

Responding, the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission disclosed that the agency had already begun reconciling its accounts with the Fiscal Responsibility Commission and had agreed to settle the outstanding liability through quarterly payments of N500 million.

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The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 44-year-old popular content creator simply identified as Odogwu Asaba.

The suspect was nabbed for allegedly raping a 21-year-old girl (name withheld).

The girl was said to have committed suicide after the incident.

It was said that the deceased was lured into Asaba by the suspect under the pretence of wanting to help her.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the arrest on Wednesday.

It was learnt that the suspect was arrested on Tuesday at his residence in Asaba, following a petition by a human right activist, Comrade Israel Joe.

The suspect is currently in police custody and has allegedly confessed to the crime.

Warri based human rights activist, Comrade Israel Joe, commended the Delta State Police Command for the arrest, just as he insisted that justice must be seen to have been served in the matter.

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The senator representing Benue South Senatorial District and Senate Minority Leader, Comrade Abba Moro, on Wednesday moved a motion on the renewed attacks on Benue South communities in the last few days.

Akpachi-Ugboju, Otukpo-Nobi and Ondo Ugboju communities of Otukpo Local Government Area were attacked by armed bandits on Friday, Sunday and Tuesday respectively resulting in the death of 20 persons, displacement of several persons and destruction of properties worth millions of naira.

In the motion titled, “The urgent needto stop the gruesome murder of inhabitants of Akpachi-IUgboju Otukpo-Nobi inhabitants and fresh attacks on Ondo Ugboju in Otukpo LGA of Benue State by suspected bandits”, Senator Moro lamented sustained attacks on defenceless constituents and called on government at all levels to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians, which is the primary responsibility of every government.

The motion reads;

“The Senate:

“Notes with utter dismay and heavy heart the horrific and unprovoked attacks on the peaceful, agrarian Communities of Akpachi-Ugboju, Otukpo-Nobi and Ondo Ugboju communities of Otukpo Local Government Area, Benue State, by suspected Armed Bandits between Friday, Sunday of last week and Tuesday this week;

“The primary responsibility of any government, as enshrined in Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), is the security and welfare of its citizens;

“Aware that the weekend assaults resulted in the tragic and gruesome murder of innocent, defenseless citizens, with a confirmed death toll of two (2) lives lost in Akpachi-Ugboju and sixteen (16) lives lost in Otukpo-Nobi, bringing the total number of fatalities in these two incidents to eighteen (18);

“Disturbed that aside from the lives lost, numerous members of these communities sustained varying degrees of life-threatening injuries and are currently admitted in various hospitals struggling for their lives, while properties and farmlands have been destroyed, forcing survivors to flee their ancestral homes;

“Alarmed by the sudden, coordinated, and fresh attack launched on Ondo Ugboju, July 14, 2026, which has thrown the entire local government area into a state of panic, widespread displacement, and severe humanitarian crisis with a confirmed death cases of two (2) lives lost in Ondo-Ugboju, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State;

“Concerned that the relentless and audacious nature of these attacks suggest a deliberate attempt to decimate these communities, and if urgent security interventions are not immediately deployed, the situation will degenerate into a complete breakdown of law and order, alongside a looming food crisis as farmers are forced to abandon their farmlands out of fear for their lives.

“Accordingly resolved to (PRAYERS):

“1. Observe a minute of silence in honor of the twenty (20) innocent citizens who were gruesomely murdered in Akpachi-Ugboju and Otukpo-Nobi, and others who may have lost their lives in the fresh attack on Ondo Ugboju.

“2. Condemn in the strongest possible terms the unprovoked killings and destruction of properties by suspected bandits in Ugboju and Otukpo Districts.

“3. Urge the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), and other relevant security agencies to immediately deploy a heavy security presence to Akpachi-Ugboju, Otukpo-Nobi, Ondo Ugboju, and surrounding communities to restore normalcy, protect lives, and prevent further attacks.

“4. Mandate the Inspector General of Police to conduct a thorough investigation into the attacks, track down the perpetrators, and ensure they are brought to justice to serve as a deterrent to others.

“5. Urge the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to urgently mobilize and supply relief materials (including food, medical supplies, and shelter) to the displaced persons and the injured currently receiving treatment in various hospitals.

“6. Mandate the Senate Committees on Police Affairs, Defense, and National Security and Intelligence to interface with the heads of security agencies to evaluate their operational strategies in Benue South and ensure compliance with these resolutions.

“I so move.”

In his response, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, sympathized with Senator Moro and the people of Benue South over the attacks. He said Nigerians deserved the right to sleep in their houses with their eyes closed and go about their lawful activities without fear.

He expressed optimism that the resolutions of the senate would be implemented to forestall future occurrence in the affected communities and indeed the entire country.

A minute silence was observed in honour of all those who died in the attacks.