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Ndume backs North’s leaders’ opposition to VAT adjustment

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The senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, yesterday aligned with fellow northern leaders opposing Federal Government’s alleged plan to increase taxes.

In a statement in Abuja, Ndume said the Federal Government ought to get things right first, expand sources of income for Nigerians and ensure that the people live and not just survive before reviewing taxes upwards.

The former Senate Leader said the antion’s middle class was gradually fading away as it was being squeezed out by high inflation.

“This tax they’re talking about; we are almost losing the middle class in Nigeria. It is either you have it or you do not have it. Those that are in the middle are being squeezed out.

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“If Nigerians can pay for those taxes, it is okay. But in the current situation, increasing taxes is not an alternative at all. I will not support any increase in tax.

“Let us get things right first. Let people start living and not survive. Let people have extra income, and then you can tax them.

“I like to use an example of common sense. Allow Nigerians to have enough blood in their body before you start asking for donation,” Ndume said.

The Borno South senator noted that the managers of the economy wanted to make President Bola Ahmed Tinubu look bad before Nigerians by proposing an increase in tax.

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He urged Finance Minister Wale Edun, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and other managers of the economy to stop misleading the President.

Ndume, who expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his administration’s de-dollarisation policy, added: “The poverty is too much is in the North. Let us be frank about that. So, you want to increase taxes again? Tax those people who can afford it. Those who can afford the taxes in Nigeria – I do not want to be particular about it – are not even paying the taxes. These big companies do not even declare their income, not to talk of getting the appropriate taxes.

“I am one of those opposing that Tax Bill in the National Assembly. I am not going to support it. In fact, I am going to start campaigning against the increase in tax for now because it does not only affect the North but the average Nigerian.

“I am not saying people should not pay tax, but do not go and tax people that are barely struggling to survive.

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“You are paying somebody N70,000 as a minimum wage and all of a sudden, the price of fuel went up to N1,000. It means that if you put the arithmetic together, you see that you would have continued paying me the N30,000 and allowed the litre of fuel to be N100.

“It is like giving you with one hand and taking it with the other hand. Let the tax authority focus on those who are supposed to pay tax. For example, in Abuja, if you go round, there are a lot of properties in there that are not paying taxes.

“Fortunately, you have (Federal Capital Territory Minister) Nyesom Wike who stands up to do something about it.

“People are not paying property taxes. These banks, for example, are making tonnes and tonnes of money, and they are not paying taxes. And they are collecting taxes. If you transfer money, they are collecting taxes. If you receive money, they are collecting taxes. And they declare profits. Go and check their taxes.

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“Now, you want to squeeze somebody who is barely trying to survive because they are many. You need to start from somewhere that is acceptable.

“I, at one time, proposed a Bill for communication and phone owners to pay tax. It didn’t see the light of day.

“You are talking about Abuja here. Many people do not have access to mobile phones. Anybody who can access a phone should be able to pay tax.”

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Nigerian Man Nabbed For Stabbing Fellow National To Death In France

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A 27-year-old Nigerian man, identified only as Popori, has been arrested in Grenoble, France, for allegedly stabbing a fellow citizen, Monday, to death.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on the evening of Friday, November 22, when a fight broke out between two men during an altercation in a grocery store in Grenoble, Isère, France.

DayFR reports that, according to Grenoble Prosecutor Eric Vaillant, who confirmed information from Dauphiné Libéré, the incident occurred around 8:30pm.

The two men were inside an exotic grocery store when an argument broke out, quickly escalating into a violent altercation.

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One of the individuals suddenly stabbed the other in the chest, for reasons still unclear.
Emergency services arrived on the scene but were unable to revive the victim.

On Saturday, the Grenoble public prosecutor announced that a 27-year-old Nigerian man had been taken into police custody at 12:30pm as part of an investigation initiated by the local judicial police service.

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Longest serving monarch dies at 111

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Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa, the longest serving traditional ruler in Bauchi State, is dead.

Inuwa, the village Head of Beli (Sarkin Beli) in Shira Local Government Area of Bauchi, passed away at the Federal Medical Center Azare, Katagum Local Government Area of the state.

The monarch who was 111-year-old spent 91 years on the throne.

Chief Imam of Beli, Liman Musa Abubakar, confirmed the death of monarch which he described as a great loss to the entire people of Northern Nigeria.

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During one of the interviews with Daily Trust in his lifetime, the late monarch had said, “Their grandfather was appointed as village head of Beli. He spent 12 years on the throne. He died and our father was appointed the village head. He spent 17 years. After that, I was appointed to the throne when I was 19 years old. This means that by my calculation, I was born around 19 12 or 1913. I was appointed to the throne around 1933 by the Emir of Katagum, AbdulQadir.”

The monarch lived and worked with four different first class Emirs of Katagum.

“We lived with the Emir of Katagum Abdulqadir who appointed me for 12 years before he left the throne and died six months later. Emir Umaru Faruqu was appointed. We spent 35 years with him.

When he died, his son, Muhammadu Kabiru was appointed. We spent 38 years with Emir Kabiru before he died, Again, after Muhammadu Kabiru, the present Emir of Katagum, Umaru Faruq II, was appointed. We lived with him for Six years.

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Late Inuwa had said, “I am almost 91 years old on the throne. Alhamdulillahi, we live in peace with the people. And I gave birth to 11 people. Some of them died, but there are seven of them alive – four men and three women.

Many people interviewed said he was a peaceful ruler who [had] listening ears and worked for the peace of the land.”

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Katsina gov presents N682bn 2025 budget to State Assembly

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Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State on Monday presented the State’s 2025 Budget Proposal to the state House of Assembly.

This is the second full year budget the governor is presenting to the House, which is in the sum of N682,244,449,513.87, covering Recurrent Revenue and Expenditure.

The Budget’s Recurrent Expenditure stands at the sum of N157,967,755,024.36 representing 23.15% while, Capital Expenditure stands at N524,274,694,489.51 representing 76.85%.

The Governor in his speech, announced that, the total of this budget when compared with that of the 2024, has an increase of N200,535,619,501.61, representing 40% increase.

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The Governor, at the beginning of his speech, assured the House that his administration has achieved many of its goals and is on course to meet and exceed its targets.

He insisted that his administration has successfully reversed the tide of insecurity which severely threatened the peaceful co-existence of people in the State.

“Many of our local governments have been restored to normalcy while pushing the bandits to the fringes of the forests and, Insha-Allah, to the end of their existence.

“We have expended a lot of resources in fighting insecurity, and we shall continue to do all we can to protect lives and livelihoods in our dear state. I thank the Honourable Members for your support and dedication to ultimate victory,” he said.

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The Governor while ranking MDAs by allocations, revealed that the Economic Sector got N302,246,140,569.76 representing 44.3%, followed by the Education Sector with 95,995,873,044.70 representing 14%.

In the same vein, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development got 81,840,275,739.70 representing 12% while the Ministry of Rural and Social Development got 58,728,146,293.72 representing 9%.

Other sectors such as the Ministry of Water Resources, 53,832,219,322.46 representing 8%, Ministry of Environment, 49,835,521,799.25 representing 7%, Ministry of Health, 43,881,752,172.75 representing 6%, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs 18,938,508,746.95 representing 3%, Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport 9,684,806,758.56 representing 10%.

Other sectors he said are in the sum of 230,759,902,908.71 representing 31% of the total proposed budget

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