News

February 29 birthday celebrants celebrate leap year

Published

1 year ago

February 29, 2024

*Says, they are mysterious, special beings

By Francesca Hangeior
A leap year occurs once every four years to account for the extra time it takes for the Earth to complete its orbit around the Sun.

This adjustment is necessary to keep the calendar year synchronised with the astronomical year.

Individuals born on Feb. 29, also known as leap day, have a unique birthday that only comes around every four years.

They often refer to themselves as ‘special breeds’ or ‘special beings’ due to the rarity of their birthdate.

Some of these celebrants express joy and gratitude for the opportunity to celebrate their birthdays in a way that sets them apart from others.

For those born on Feb. 29, celebrating birthdays can be a mixture of joy and occasional challenges.

While some see their unique birthdate as a blessing, others see it as awkward when comparing their birthday celebrations to those who have annual birthdays.

Some Lagos residents, born Feb. 29, while expressing their views about the day said, they are unique and special.

15-year-old Damilare Ijiwade, born Feb.29, 2009, described the day as “unique”.

“For this rare and special opportunity, my daddy has planned a little get-together for me with my friends because of the uniqueness of the celebration.

“I give thanks to God for the benefit of seeing another birthday after four years.

“I feel great because my birthday is a very peculiar one that is being celebrated every four years. There is no need for me to be worried about it. I only put my mind on the fourth year,” Ijiwade said.

According to Shadrach Akowonjo, a 24 -year-old Civil Engineer, born Feb. 29, 2000, he feels awkward when others talk about celebrating their birthdays every year.

Though it’s not funny at all but all the same, I thank God, I will be visiting the orphanage.

“When others talk about birthday other years, I feel awkward but who am I to question God, that’s our faith, we accept it, ” he said.

For Favour Thompson, a student born Feb. 29, 2008, described Feb.29 as a day for ‘mysterious and special beings’.

“I feel and believe being born on such a date is a misery, I am glad and honoured having to celebrate this year.

“Though people always mocked me every year, but it’s our turn to demonstrate God’s grace in our lives,” he said.

Meanwhile, a priest, Rev. Father Clement Odiah, of the Seat of Wisdom Catholic College, Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State, said individuals born Feb.29 are called ‘leapling babies’.

“They didn’t choose to be born on that date, however, they found themselves to be born on such day.

“There are so many things in life that we just have to find a way round it, we can’t deny or push them away. It’s not that they sinned or did anything wrong.

“Having birthdays annually is an opportunity to thank God to celebrate birthday every year, some don’t have such an opportunity.

“Some break relationships or cause animosity for their birthdays not been celebrated. Tell them to calm down, if they have nothing to celebrate this year, another year will come. After all, some celebrate just once in four years, yet heaven hasn’t fallen,” he said.

Another Catholic Cleric, of Saints Gregory Major Seminary, Ogun, Rev. Fr. Paul Amenaghawon, said that those born Feb. 29 had the liberty to celebrate on other closer days.

“As long as those born on Feb. 29 increase in age every year, they can celebrate on either Feb. 28 or March 1, as they choose.

“What matters is that they remember they are increasing in age every year, regardless of having Feb. 29 or not,” he said.

Also speaking, Rev. Fr. Anthony Afariogun, Chaplain, Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Chaplaincy, Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo State, said celebrating once in four years is ‘divine’.

“Celebrating birthday once in four years is divine. They have opportunity of saving money for the next four years and prepare very well. It gives them also opportunity to reflect on their lives and see how to serve God better.

News

Tax Reform Bills: Rep Adopts Committe Report On Tax Reform Bills

Published

17 minutes ago

March 13, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

…maintain 7.5% VAT, reject reintroduction of inheritance tax

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has considered and adopted the four Tax Reform Bills on Thursday at plenary.

Chairman House Committee on Finance, Rep. James Faleke, presenting the report at the committee of the Whole, said the report was an extensive review of the Bills carried out by the Committee, with careful consideration of public input.

In the Committee of the Whole presided by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, the lawmakers considered the clause by clause of the four bills.

The proposed piece of legislation aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s tax framework includes: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.

Key adjustments were made to the Nigeria Revenue Service Bill, Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, and Nigeria Tax Administration Bill.

Nigeria Tax Administration Bill

Faleke sated that under the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the committee retained Value Added Tax, VAT, at 7.5% despite initial proposals to increase it gradually to 15% by 2030. The Committee also made changes to income tax provisions for petroleum operations (Section 78), setting the tax rate for petroleum gains at 30% instead of the previously higher rate of 85%.

The House has also rejected the proposed reintroduction of inheritance tax under the guise of taxation of family income.

Provisions related to excise duties were deleted across various bills due to concerns about their economic impact. The Committee also addressed definitions related to small companies, raising the turnover threshold for their classification to ₦100m while maintaining the asset cap at ₦250m.

New penalties were introduced for non-compliance by Virtual Assets Service Providers (VASPs), which include hefty fines and potential suspension of licenses.

While submitting the report, Faleke reaffirmed the importance of the Tax Reform Bills to Nigeria’s economic development, stating that, “These Bills are critical to the implementation of a modern, transparent, and efficient tax system that will foster economic growth and improve revenue collection.

Faleke stated: “There was a call for deletion of the proposed reintroduction of inheritance tax. Under the guise of taxation of family income as this oversteps divine jurisdiction which places inheritance matters within the scope of Sharia and customary laws of the north and south respectively. So in the amendment, the inheritance tax is defined as inheritance before distribution cannot be taxed.

“Before distribution. Reduction of VAT rates to 5% or alternatively maintain the current rate of 7.5%. The committee adopted the 7.5%. Recommendations for the restatement of contributions towards Naceni Nidda and the court to ensure continuous funding from the development level. This of course was retained without sunset clauses.

“Suggestions to name NIPC as the relevant authority in respect of priority sectors and company operating the area. This of course was amended and adopted. Appeal to reinstate the need for a tax accordingly.

He said :”During the retreat held from March 3rd to 9th, 2025, the Committee reviewed submissions made by the public during the hearing. Representatives from key government agencies, including the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), were also invited to provide further input.

“We carefully examined every submission to ensure the public’s opinions were incorporated into the review process,” the chairman stated, adding that the retreat involved a thorough review of existing laws proposed for repeal or amendment.

“The Committee recommended amendments to various pieces of legislation, including the Companies Income Tax Act (CITA), Value Added Tax Act (VAT), Personal Income Tax Act (PITA), and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, among others. The Petroleum Industry Act, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Act, and Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone Act were also amended to reflect the proposed changes.

According to the Committee Chairman, the bill if passed, has repealed all the companies income tax which was enacted in 1979, Value Added Tax 1993, Personal Income Tax 1993, Federal Income Revenue bill 2007, Capital Gains Tax 1967, Stamp Duties Act 1939, Casino Act 1965, Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Act and then of course Industrial Development Income Tax Relief 1971, Petroleum Profit Tax Act 1959 and of course Venture Capital Incentives 1993.

Several practical amendments were introduced in the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill to enhance efficiency. Section 7 extended the timeline for issuing taxpayer identification numbers (Tax IDs) from two working days to five, allowing room for administrative delays. Additionally, a reduction in the timeline for companies ceasing operations to file their income tax returns (Section 11) from six months to three was introduced to prevent revenue loss.

The VAT system was also revised (Section 22) to ensure that taxable supplies are attributed to their place of consumption, irrespective of where returns are filed, addressing concerns of regional imbalances. The Committee introduced a VAT fiscalisation system (Section 23), requiring the development of further regulations to ensure the system’s effectiveness.

Amendments were made to the reporting thresholds for banking transactions (Section 28), raising them from ₦25m to ₦50m for individuals and from ₦100m to ₦250m for corporate entities. Section 60 mandated court orders before the tax authority could seize movable assets, reinforcing the need for judicial oversight.

One of the most notable additions is the mandatory provision of access to electronically stored taxpayer information (Section 61), in light of the increasing shift from manual to electronic storage.

The Committee also amended Section 77, introducing a new formula for distributing VAT revenues to local governments, ensuring that 70% is distributed equally and 30% based on population.

Nigeria Revenue Service Bill

Significant amendments were made to Section 4 of this bill, which defines the functions of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS). The Committee limited the NRS’s scope to exclude individual taxpayers in states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), shifting their focus to federal-level revenue.

The composition of the governing board was also revised. Section 7 now requires the board to include six executive directors, appointed by the president from each geo-political zone on a rotational basis. Additionally, one representative from each state and the FCT will sit on the board to ensure proper federal character representation.

Section 13 introduced new qualifications for the Secretary to the Board, who must be a lawyer, chartered accountant, or chartered secretary at the level of Assistant Director or higher. Amendments to the funding of the NRS introduced a fixed cost-of-collection rate of 4% of total revenue, minus royalties, to be appropriated by the National Assembly.

Moreover, the NRS’s borrowing powers (Section 28) were tightened, requiring approvals from both the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly before any loans can be secured.

Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill

The Joint Revenue Board Bill saw adjustments aimed at improving oversight and transparency. Section 25, which previously outlined the qualifications for Tax Appeal Commissioners, removed the requirement for commissioners to have experience managing businesses, which the Committee deemed irrelevant.

The Committee also emphasized the independence of the Tax Ombud’s office in Section 43 by funding it directly through the Consolidated Revenue Fund, eliminating gifts or grants that could introduce biases. Similarly, provisions were made for additional office expenses under Section 44.

The Committee further introduced new regulations to ensure that the Evidence Act is strictly adhered to during tax appeal proceedings. A significant change was the establishment of independent funding for the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT), freeing it from dependence on the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to avoid conflicts of interest.

News

SAD! Nigerian Man Slumps, D!es Inside S3x Worker’s Apartment

Published

3 hours ago

March 13, 2025

Naijablitznews

A 31-year-old man identified as Ajayi Nicholas, slumped and d!ed inside a s3x worker’s apartment at New Kutunku community in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT.

A resident of New Kutunku, Josiah Gabriel, told Daily Trust that the incident happened on Saturday, March 8, 2025 around 5pm when the deceased allegedly checked into a hotel room in the area.

He said the man allegedly slumped when he was about to leave the room and the woman rushed to alert the manager of the hotel.

The source said the hotel manager identified the deceased and rushed to report the incident to his relations, who are residing within the area.

He said the deceased was taken to a nearby hospital where he was confirmed d3ad.

According to him, some policemen from the outpost in the area came to the hotel for investigation.

“After that, the man’s corpse was deposited at the mortuary, while the lady in question was detained by the police,” the source said.

A police officer at the outpost, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the incident on Wednesday, saying the deceased’s corpse was deposited at the mortuary after an autopsy.

News

Nigerian Lady Trafficked To Iraq Allegedly Defiled By Boss Pleads For Help To Return

Published

5 hours ago

March 13, 2025

Naijablitznews

A 27-year-old Nigerian woman who identified herself as Francis Julianah Omowunmi, who was trafficked to Iraq has made a desperate plea for help to return home after she was allegedly raped and abused by her employer.

Omowunmi, who said she was living in Ekiti State in Southwestern Nigeria, told SaharaReporters that she was trafficked to Iraq on October 7, 2023 by a friend of her sister’s husband.

However, she was syndicated to another agent in Akure, Ondo State capital, who then sent her to another agent in Lagos, one Alhaja Nafisat, who deceitfully transported her to Iraq with promises of a better life.

Omowunmi said her employer not only raped and physically assaulted her but also conspired with his friends, wife, and children to threaten her with death if she reported the assault to the authorities or her family.

She said the assault left her deeply traumatized and fearing for her life after her employer allegedly conspired with others to perform an unsafe abortion on her, causing severe pain and threatening to kill her if she spoke out.

Seeking help, she confided in her sister and a friend, who warned her to stay silent due to the risks posed by her Iraqi employer. However, when the pain became unbearable, she informed her employer’s wife, who took her to the hospital, where she was drugged and an unsafe abortion was carried out.

Speaking with SaharaReporters, Omowunmi said her employer raped her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone. Despite her sister’s advice to remain silent, she eventually told his wife after missing her period.

“He gave me drugs, saying it was for a headache, but I knew something was wrong,” she said. “I initially refused to take them, but when he threatened to beat me, I took them.”

She said that after the incident, she started experiencing stomach pains. Her employer eventually asked her to leave his house, saying he didn’t want to see her anymore.

“I packed my things, and his wife took me to her father’s house,” she added.

Omowunmi further explained, “They asked me what happened but I told them I did not fight with Baba because my sister had advised me not to tell anybody about what happened.

“The following day, they took me to the office and I explained everything to one of the girls there.

“I was taking care of two kids but when the fight started, my boss took the kids away to his father’s house.

“Baba came to my room every day and claimed he wanted to take clothes and gives them to his wife.

“That day he raped me; I was arranging clothes when he came in and stood behind me. When I asked him what he wanted, he started beating me.

“When I asked him why he was beating me, he punched my eyes. I could not record what happened because I did not know such a thing was going to happen.

“After my boss raped me, I explained to my sister that I felt like I was pregnant but she told me not to worry.

“However, when my boss’s wife took me to the office, the girl I told what happened told my boss’s wife and when she asked me, I told her the truth. The office said they wanted to do a test on me.

“I followed the woman to a hospital and after sometime, they brought a paper which I did not know what they wrote in it and my boss’s wife said there was nothing wrong with me. I asked her why I had not seen my period but the woman took me to another hospital to do another test.”

Omowunmi continued, “Before we went to the second hospital, they added something inside the water and gave it to me. When we got to the hospital, they asked me to sleep. I tried questioning them but before I knew it, I slept off.

“I did not know what happened again but when I woke up, I just saw three people, my box, one male doctor, one female doctor and I saw things that looked like they wanted to do abortion for someone.

“I asked what happened but they did not say anything. When I tried to stand up, I could not stand up again. I found out that I was feeling pains in my stomach. My boss’s wife took me back to her house but I was not able to walk.

“She was just giving me tea every day and when I asked what happened to me, if you said that I was not pregnant, why did you give me something and tampered with my private parts?

“She only said I would be fine. She said I should not tell anyone what happened and that she would make sure that my boss was jailed. She took me to the police and we made a statement and from there, they took the case to court.

“But now, I no longer understand what they are saying. Since the day they took the case to court, we would go to court and they would ask us to come back, that they would arrest my boss.”

She said that one day, her employer visited her madam’s father’s house and admitted to raping her. He pleaded not to be sent to jail and promised to give her anything she wanted.

“However, since the day we withdrew the case and came back to the house, my madam has been maltreating me. For six months, she locked me inside and said that I was smelling. They did not give me food,” she said.

“I have never felt well again. I kept having stomach pains and I can’t stand up and I can’t bend down.”

She said she called Mr. Damilola of Hopes Haven Foundation who helped in rescuing her and she was taken to the office.

However, though she was told that she would be returned to Nigeria, nothing has been done.

According to her, her boss brought one of his friends who compelled her not to tell the court that her boss raped her.

“I asked him why I should tell the court that my boss did not rape me when he raped me and beat me. I reminded him that the lawyer warned me not to lie or I will be jailed for five years in prison.

“Last week they brought one paper they wrote in Arabic language which I did not understand. They asked me to sign it. I asked them to translate it into English, which they did and after I read it, I refused to sign it,” she said.

She said she refused to sign the document presented to her because her boss and his accomplices claimed in it that she had fabricated the rape allegation to demand her unpaid salary.

They claimed in the statement they wanted her to sign, that she has always been treated nicely and respectfully by her employer and that she has abandoned the lawsuit in court.

“Meanwhile, they did not pay me six months’ salary, and I have also spent four months in the office [of the agency that trafficked her] without salary, and I have kids and family at home,” she said.

Omowunmi’s harrowing ordeal has again mirrored the dangers faced by many women lured into domestic servitude abroad.

Recall December 2024 reported how a 28-year-old Nigerian woman, Odunayo Eniola Isaac, who hails from Osun State in the South-West region of Nigeria trafficked to Iraq, made a distressing and heart-wrenching plea for assistance to return home.

Allegedly, Odunayo was a victim of human trafficking perpetrated by one Alhaja Yusuf Shakira, notoriously known as Mama Uganda, who deceitfully transported her to Iraq with promises of a better life.

But having endured almost two years of inhumane treatment, brutal physical torture, and degrading dehumanisation at the hands of her Iraqi employer, Saba Akram, and his spouse, Odunayo’s emotional and psychological well-being was severely compromised.

Overwhelmed with despair and desperation, she raised the alarm and implored the Nigerian authorities to facilitate her urgent return to Nigeria, lest she loses her life.

Sahara Reporters