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Quarantine service begins clampdown on food smugglers, hoarders

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By Francesca Hangeior

The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service has commenced the clamped down on hoarders and smugglers of food items and other agricultural produce, as it announced the deployment of more officers to Nigeria’s land and sea borders.

It said the move was to support the Federal Government’s efforts to stabilise food prices nationwide and ensure food security in Nigeria.

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“To support the Federal Government’s efforts to stabilise food prices and ensure food security, the NAQS has initiated a nationwide crackdown on the smuggling and hoarding of agricultural commodities,” the agency announced in a statement issued in Abuja.

It added, “The decisive action is part of the agency’s mandate to regulate the handling of agricultural products in Nigeria, ensuring they are safe for consumption and available at fair prices to the Nigerian populace.

“In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration, we are fully committed to ensuring that Nigerians have more food on their table, by strengthening our borders and clamping down on the smuggling of hoarded agricultural commodities.”

NAQS, according to its Establishment Act 2017, was established to prevent the entry, establishment and spread of foreign pests and diseases of plant, animal and aquatic resources and products into the country.

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The agency is to also promote sanitary and phytosanitary measures as it relates to the import and export of agricultural products, to minimise the risk to agriculture, food safety and the environment.

The agency in its statement on Monday, noted that “Food security is a paramount concern for the Nigerian government, and we are committed to ensuring that agricultural commodities are not smuggled out of the country through our ports and land borders.

“We believe that our efforts to clamp down on smuggling practices will not only help to stabilise food prices but also promote transparency and fairness in the agricultural supply chain.”

It stated that more officers of the agency had been deployed to the borders to tackle the menace of food smuggling and hoarding.

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“To combat the illegal smuggling and hoarding of agricultural commodities, NAQS is enhancing its surveillance and control measures at all entry and exit points.

“Officers of the agency are working tirelessly across the country’s borders and control posts, conducting rigorous inspections, and monitoring to ensure no agro commodity is exported.

“This initiative reflects a comprehensive approach to tackling some of the recent challenges facing the agricultural sector and aims to ensure food security and promote sustainable development.”

The agency’s acting Comptroller-General, Dr Godwin Audu, urged the public to report any suspicious activities related to the hoarding or smuggling of agricultural commodities.

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He said community participation and collaboration were vital for the success of this campaign.

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to stop the hoarding and smuggling of food outside Nigeria following the recent astronomical hike in the cost of food items nationwide.

It could be recalled that the Nigeria Customs Service had declared that it intercepted 15 trailers that were fully loaded with food items and were heading out of the country through the Sokoto State border.

It said the trailers were stopped and the food items were returned to Nigeria, adding that this was part of measures to stabilise the prices of food items across the country in line with the mandate of the Federal Government.

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FG to arraign arrested bomb manufacturers as US partners on IED Centre

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The United States (US) is working closely with the Federal Government to establish a counter Improvised Explosive Device (IED) centre in Nigeria.

The centre which will be similar to one set up by Britain in Maiduguri, Borno State, is to help Nigeria contain indiscriminate production of IEDs and boost anti-terrorism war in the country.

Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka made this known during a symposium on Countering Improvised IEDs in Abuja yesterday.

The symposium was organised by the centre, a unit in the Office of National Security Adviser(ONSA) in collaboration with the US and British governments.

Maj.-Gen. Laka stated the Federal Government’s collaboration with foreign partners was yielding positive results.

He said: ”What is the new thing that they(US) are going to do now?

‘’Like the British Government has established a counter IED centre in the Northeast, particularly in Maiduguri, we are working closely with the US Government on that also.

“They(Britain and U.S) have been training our troops for the past four years; and this has greatly impacted the proficiency of our troops in identifying IEDs, preventing such incidents and also reacting after such an incident.

‘’Samples are taken from the IED site to our laboratory at the centre to find out those materials that are used so that we will be able to know where our focus will be on restricting such materials getting into the wrong hands,” HE told reporters.

The NCTC boss revealed that some suspected manufacturers of IEDs were already being detained preparatory to their arraignment. He also said that ONSA has taken steps to regulate the use of materials like urea fertiliser in the Northeast, which terrorists use to manufacture explosives

Experts identify IEDs as a major threat to troops, civilians and infrastructure in the fight against terrorism in the country.

The NCTC Coordinator said: “ Insurgents can get things like urea fertiliser from the markets to manufacture IEDs and so on. But we won’t relent on our part. We will keep educating the populace.

“And on punishments for those who are manufacturing these IEDs, we have identified a few and they are presently awaiting to go through the judicial process.

‘’We won’t just punish them on our own. Nigeria is a signatory to international human rights laws and best practices, and so on. So we will follow the rule of law. They are innocent until proven guilty. So we have to go through the judicial process.”

Maj.-Gen. Laka assured Nigerians that the NCTC would remain proactive in its approach to tackling the menace of IEDs in the country.

“We are developing a biometric database at the Office of the National Security Adviser. We are working closely with all the security and intelligence agencies. This biometric database is going to be used to identify those who are experts in manufacturing IEDs.

‘’We are working closely with the US and British governments on that and other security and intelligence agencies,’’ he said.

The NCTC boss stated that the symposium was both timely and critical as it provided a platform for experts and stakeholders to deliberate on innovative strategies to counter-terrorism.

He said: “Our collective goal is to enhance national capabilities in preventing, detecting, and responding to Improvised Explosive Devices incidents.

“The provision of external expertise in this field would also complement Nigeria’s experience and proficiency in assessing whether a National Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Strategy would be beneficial for implementation in Nigeria. We must examine the existing gaps, address the vulnerabilities in our operational environments, and improve coordination among key agencies.”

US Ambassador to Nigeria Richard M. Mills, Jr. said Washington would continue to assist Nigeria to defeat the challenging threat of IEDs.

Mills was represented by the US Defence Attaché to Nigeria. Col. Thomas Brooks

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Bill to designate official roles to Traditional Rulers scales second reading in Senate

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A bill which seeks to establish the National Council for Traditional Rulers with the objective of formally giving monarchs and community heads important official roles has scaled second reading in Senate.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Simon Lalong (Plateau South).

The Bill generated widespread debate among lawmakers when it was first introduced, with concerns expressed over potential conflicts between the responsibilities of traditional rulers and elected officials at the Local Government level.

But Lalong, a former Governor of Plateau State, noted that present day traditional rulers are well-educated and can provide valuable counsel on issues such as insecurity and other national matters, which could assist the government in addressing the needs of the citizens.

The former Director-General of the Tinubu-Shettima Campaign Council also asserted that they would be useful in the areas of security and conflict resolution in local communities.

According to him: “When there are crises and killings, the first thing people say is ‘let’s hold the traditional ruler responsible.’ It is true in their communities, they know everybody, including the criminals. But we expect them to be the ones running up and down.

“We need to charge them with responsibilities where they will be committed. But for now, you can’t hold them responsible. As the director-general of the campaign for Asiwaju and Kashim, we went around having some meetings with these traditional rulers.

“Every time we want them to participate, they ask to be given a role. So, it was also part of our (electioneering) campaign.

“So, I don’t see how we can jettison that when we are struggling for a constitutional amendment with respect to security. If we don’t have security, every other thing we are doing is rubbish.”

However, some senators still expressed concerns about the possibility of overlapping duties and emphasised the need for the bill to clearly delineate the roles of traditional rulers and government officials to avoid confusion.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio stressed the importance of clearly defining the functions of traditional rulers within the bill.

He also suggested holding a public hearing to gather input before the bill proceeds to a third reading.

Akpabio noted the value traditional rulers could bring in providing counsel on a wide range of issues that could benefit the government.

Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters for further legislative work and to report back in four weeks.

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Tax reforms Bills: Reps retain 7.5 percent VAT, snub proposal to increase it by 2030

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The House of Representatives has retained Value Added Tax (VAT) at 7.5%, rejecting a proposed gradual increase to 15% by 2030. The House also dismissed a proposal to reintroduce inheritance tax under the guise of taxing family income.

Submitting the report during plenary in Abuja, the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Rep. James Faleke, stated that the report represents a comprehensive review of the bills, incorporating extensive public input.

The report covers four key bills aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s tax framework:

Nigeria Tax Bill

Nigeria Tax Administration Bill

Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill

Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill

Key Amendments in the Tax Reform Bills

Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Bill

Redefined Scope: The NRS will now focus on federal-level revenue collection, excluding individual taxpayers in states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Board Composition: Section 7 now requires six executive directors, each appointed by the president from the six geopolitical zones on a rotational basis. Each state and the FCT will also have a representative on the board.

Secretary Qualifications: Section 13 mandates that the Secretary to the Board must be a lawyer, chartered accountant, or chartered secretary at the level of Assistant Director or higher.

Fixed Funding Rate: The NRS will now receive a 4% cost-of-collection rate (excluding royalties), subject to National Assembly approval.

Borrowing Powers Restricted: Section 28 now requires Federal Executive Council (FEC) and National Assembly approval before the NRS can secure any loans.

Joint Revenue Board (JRB) Bill

Tax Appeal Commissioners’ Criteria Revised: Section 25 removes the requirement that commissioners must have business management experience, as the Committee deemed it irrelevant.

Strengthened Tax Ombud’s Independence: Section 43 mandates that the Tax Ombud’s Office be funded directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, eliminating reliance on external donations.

Independent Funding for Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT): The tribunal will now operate independently of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to prevent conflicts of interest.

Stricter Adherence to the Evidence Act: New rules ensure that tax appeal proceedings strictly follow the Evidence Act.

Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Processing: The timeline for issuing TINs has been extended from two working days to five to accommodate administrative delays.

Faster Tax Returns for Ceased Operations: Companies ceasing operations must now file income tax returns within three months, down from six months, to prevent revenue loss.

VAT System Adjustments: Section 22 ensures that taxable supplies are attributed to their place of consumption, addressing regional imbalances.

VAT Fiscalisation System: Section 23 introduces a new regulatory framework to improve VAT collection.

Increased Reporting Thresholds for Banking Transactions:

Individuals: ₦25 million → ₦50 million

Corporate Entities: ₦100 million → ₦250 million

Judicial Oversight on Asset Seizure: Section 60 mandates that tax authorities must obtain a court order before seizing movable assets.

Mandatory Electronic Taxpayer Records Access: Section 61 formalizes the government’s right to access electronically stored tax records in line with modern practices.

New VAT Revenue Distribution Formula:

70% distributed equally among local governments

30% based on population

General Amendments Across Tax Bills

VAT Rate Maintained at 7.5% – The Committee rejected the proposal to gradually increase VAT to 15% by 2030.

Petroleum Gains Tax Reduced to 30% – Section 78 revises the tax rate on petroleum gains from 85% to 30%.

Excise Duty Provisions Removed – Excise duty-related provisions were deleted due to concerns about their negative economic impact.

Higher Turnover Threshold for Small Companies: A business will now be classified as a small company if its annual turnover is ₦100 million or less (asset cap remains at ₦250 million).

New Penalties for Virtual Assets Service Providers (VASPs): Stricter fines and potential license suspensions for non-compliant crypto and digital asset businesses.

While submitting the report, Rep. Faleke highlighted the importance of the tax reform bills in modernizing Nigeria’s tax system, boosting revenue collection, and fostering economic growth.

“These Bills are critical to implementing a modern, transparent, and efficient tax system that will support economic growth and improve revenue collection,” he said.

He added that the review process was extensive, incorporating input from the public and key government agencies, including:

Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA)

National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI)

National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)

Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)

“We carefully examined every submission to ensure that public opinion was reflected in our recommendations. This process involved a thorough review of existing laws proposed for repeal or amendment,” Faleke noted.

The amendments impact key laws, including:

Companies Income Tax Act (CITA)

Value Added Tax Act (VAT Act)

Personal Income Tax Act (PITA)

Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act

Petroleum Industry Act

Nigeria Export Processing Zones Act

Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone Act

The House of Representatives is expected to deliberate on the report in the coming weeks as part of its legislative process.

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