Headlines
Tinubu Mourns Soldiers Killed in Niger Ambush As NAF Vows to Pound Bandits
President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, mourned the death of troops killed by bandits in an ambush in the Shiroro area of Niger State, as well as the crash of a Nigerian Air Force helicopter in the state on Monday.
The President, in a statement he personally signed on Tuesday, stated that the incidents brought him “immense sadness.”
He said, “These officers and men were answering the call of duty while on an evacuation mission. In their dedicated service to our beloved country, they paid the ultimate price.”
While commending the courage and devotion of the fallen soldiers, Tinubu said, “On behalf of a grateful nation, I extend my condolences to their families, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, and the entire Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
This was as the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, vowed that the military would rid Niger State and other states of banditry and insurgency.
This is coming after bandits laid an ambush for troops and killed many in the Shiroro area of Niger State.
The Air Force also lost its aircraft while on a rescue mission in the state on Monday.
However, Abubakar noted that his service in collaboration with the land force would strengthen their operations.
He vowed that the military with its combat capabilities would completely eradicate the criminals.
Abubakar spoke when the Niger State governor, Umar Bago, paid him a condolence visit in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said, “As you are aware that Niger State and other states in this region are plagued by the menace of banditry, insurgency, and others, these challenges have continued to threaten the peace and security and well-being of the people.
“I want to assure you that the Nigerian Air Force and the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain committed, dedicated, and undaunted in our efforts at eradicating these security challenges being perpetrated by these non-state actors.
“Our approach now is to intensify our activities in tandem with the land forces to completely eradicate these criminal elements with our combat capabilities. Also, I believe in my philosophy, which is to transform the Air Force into an agile force capable of meeting all the air power demands of our national security in all operational environments.’’
The Air Chief attributed the Niger attack to increased onslaughts against the bandits.
He said, “Despite the efforts we have put in, we have a couple of issues and one of them is the air crash. The fact is that as long as we fly aircraft, there would be incidents of accidents.
“The volume of incidents and accidents are directly proportional to the operations. On our part, we are not folding our arms even with the challenges. The ideal is to strive for zero incidents and accidents in any operational environment. We are putting a lot of initiatives in place to check this.’’
He also said the weather conditions have posed a challenge to the service’s operations.
Abubakar said, “We have other seasonal challenges. The rains have come and there is a cloud, this hampers what we can see as well as our strike capabilities. Likewise, when the harmattan comes, it also has effects on our operations. These are challenges we live in. We hope that sometimes you understand when our operations are hampered or impeded by some of these challenges.”
He, however, urged the governor to embrace a whole of government approach to curb criminality in his state.
Speaking, the governor pleaded with the Air Chief to deploy more troops and fighter jets to the state.
He added that this was needed to guarantee the protection of lives and properties in the state.
“I have come here to say Minna airport was created as a backup for Abuja airport and we have the longest runways in Nigeria. We’re calling on you to please send some detachments and some fighter planes to Minna so that we can have more rapid responses when they are very close instead of flying from either Kainji or Kaduna.
“Let me at this juncture say thank you for giving us this time, and say that the Niger State government will support you anywhere you are. We are happy with what you’re doing and we’re behind you and we will support you,’’ the governor said.
“Our people have also asked me to tell you that we can give you accommodations if you can bring people. We will provide accommodations that are very close to the airport in Minna to come and stay in Minna because we need your protection.”
While condoling Abubakar, over the deaths of troops at Niger State, urged the military not to be discouraged.
“We also sympathise with the Nigerian military over the losses recorded in the ambush that happened in Wushishi which eventually brought about the evacuation by your chopper that crashed.
“The Air Force has done so much for us as a people. You have supported Niger State in the fight against insurgency and banditry. I want to say don’t be tired. Thank you very much for what you’ve been doing,” the governor said.
The Punch
An Abuja High Court has cleared the way for the implementation of Nigeria’s new tax regime scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, dismissing a suit seeking to halt the programme.
The ruling gives the Federal government, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the National Assembly full legal backing to proceed with the take-off of the new tax laws.
The suit was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of African Initiative for Abuse of Public Trustees, which dragged the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly before the court over alleged discrepancies in the recently enacted tax laws.
In an ex-parte motion, the plaintiff sought an interim injunction restraining the Federal Government, FIRS, the National Assembly and related agencies from implementing or enforcing the provisions of the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The group also asked the court to restrain the President from implementing the laws in any part of the federation pending the hearing of its motion on notice.
However, in a ruling delivered on Tuesday, Justice Kawu struck out the application, holding that it lacked merit and failed to establish sufficient legal grounds to warrant the grant of the reliefs sought.
The court ruled that the plaintiffs did not demonstrate how the implementation of the new tax laws would occasion irreparable harm or violate any provision of the Constitution, stressing that matters of fiscal policy and economic reforms fall squarely within the powers of government.
Justice Kawu further held that once a law has been duly enacted and gazetted, any alleged errors or controversies can only be addressed through legislative amendment or a substantive court order, noting that disagreements over tax laws cannot stop the implementation of an existing law.
Consequently, the court affirmed that there was no legal impediment to the commencement of the new tax regime and directed that implementation should proceed as scheduled from January 1, 2026.
The new tax regime is anchored on four landmark tax reform bills signed into law in 2025 as part of the Federal Government’s broader fiscal and economic reform agenda aimed at boosting revenue, simplifying the tax system and reducing leakages.
The laws — the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025 — consolidate and replace several existing tax statutes, including laws governing companies income tax, personal income tax, value added tax, capital gains tax and stamp duties.
Key elements of the reforms include the harmonisation of multiple taxes into a more streamlined framework, expansion of the tax base, protection for low-income earners and small businesses, and the introduction of modern, technology-driven tax administration systems such as digital filing and electronic compliance monitoring.
The reforms also provide for the restructuring of federal tax administration, including the creation of the Nigeria Revenue Service, to strengthen efficiency, coordination and revenue collection across government levels.
While the Federal government has described the reforms as critical to stabilising public finances and funding infrastructure and social services, the laws have generated intense public debate, with some civil society groups and political actors alleging discrepancies between the versions passed by the National Assembly and those later gazetted.
These concerns sparked calls for suspension, re-gazetting and legal action, culminating in the suit dismissed by the Abuja High Court.
Reacting to the judgment, stakeholders described the ruling as a major boost for the reforms, saying it has removed all legal obstacles that could have delayed the implementation of the new tax framework.
Former governor of Anambra State, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has officially defected to the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi announced the decision on Tuesday at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu.
“We are ending this year with the hope that in 2026 we will begin a rescue journey,” Obi said.
The National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, was among the attendees.
United States Representative Riley Moors has said further military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria could follow recent operations ordered by President Donald Trump, describing the actions as aimed at improving security and protecting Christian communities facing violence.
Moore made the remarks during a televised interview in which he addressed U.S. military strikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant targets in North-west Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death,” Moore said.
He said the Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State affiliates had provided hope to Christians in Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by repeated attacks during past festive periods.
According to U.S. authorities, the strikes targeted camps used by Islamic State-linked groups operating in parts of north-west Nigeria.
Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The United States Africa Command said the operation was intended to degrade the operational capacity of extremist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and security forces.
Nigerian authorities have described the targeted groups as a threat to national security, noting their involvement in killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Moore said the strikes marked a shift from previous years in which attacks were carried out against civilians during the Christmas period. He said the U.S. administration was focused on preventing further violence by targeting militant groups before they could launch attacks.
U.S. officials have said the military action was carried out with the consent of the Nigerian government and formed part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria has received intelligence, training and logistical support from international partners as it seeks to contain militant activity.
Moore had previously called for stronger international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and has urged continued U.S. engagement in addressing extremist violence. He said further action would depend on developments on the ground and continued coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have maintained that counter-terrorism operations are directed at armed groups threatening civilians, regardless of religion, and have reiterated their commitment to restoring security across affected regions.
