Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), has allayed fears that the new tax reform framework could be weaponised by the Federal Government to target political opponents or individuals based on affiliation.

Dr. Zacch Adedeji

Adedeji, responding to concerns over potential selective enforcement or politically motivated tax scrutiny, insisted the reforms prioritise national interest, transparency, due process, and institutional accountability.

Addressing speculations on suppressing opposition voices ahead of elections, he said: “I think the question you will ask is that we need to commend the courage of Mr. President, that despite the fact that there is an election coming, he is courageous enough to continue on this path of statesmanship and not of politicians.”

The NRS boss explained that it would have been politically expedient to shelve the reforms during an election cycle, but President Bola Tinubu opted to strengthen the country’s fiscal foundation and economic governance.

He outlined that the agenda targets structural tax system weaknesses, enhances fairness, and fosters a simplified, predictable compliance environment to boost voluntary participation over coercion.

Adedeji attributed public scepticism to Nigeria’s history of perceived institutional misuse, but stressed the new framework minimises administrative discretion through rule-based processes, automation, accountability, and governance safeguards insulated from political influence.

According to him, the reforms emphasise taxpayer trust, linking taxes to visible public service improvements while expanding growth opportunities and sustainable public finances.

He reaffirmed the focus on economic stability, credible institutions, phased implementation, investment support, vulnerable group protection, and freedom from partisan interference.

An Ikeja Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Monday sentenced Olawale Faleti, a former Lagos State Education director, to two years and five months’ imprisonment for stealing ₦48.9 million from Access Bank Plc.

Justice Rahman Oshodi convicted Faleti, 64, on five counts of stealing after finding him guilty of charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In his judgment, Oshodi said the offence was deliberate and sustained, noting that Faleti carried out repeated withdrawals despite knowing he had no authorisation to access the funds.

The judge added that the convict failed to show genuine remorse or fully accept responsibility for his actions.

“Financial institutions are the lifeblood of our economy and public confidence in them must be preserved,” Oshodi said, adding that “Those who attempt to defraud or steal from banks must understand that severe consequences will follow.”

While acknowledging Faleti as a first-time offender, the court said a custodial sentence was unavoidable.

The judge applied a 20 per cent reduction from the three-year maximum sentence, citing minimal restitution efforts as a mitigating factor.

Faleti was sentenced to two years and five months’ imprisonment on each of the five counts, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently.

The court directed that the sentence take effect from January 5, 2026, and ordered that Faleti’s biometric details and name be entered into the Lagos State Judiciary offenders’ registry.

After deducting ₦3 million already restituted, the court ordered Faleti to pay an outstanding ₦45.9 million to Access Bank Plc, directing the bank to notify the court upon full recovery of the funds.

Earlier, Mr Ahmed Dambuwa, EFCC counsel, told the court that Faleti dishonestly converted ₦48.9 million belonging to the bank by exploiting unauthorised access to an Access Bank credit card.

He said the card permitted withdrawals of not less than ₦43,000 per transaction, but a system glitch enabled Faleti to withdraw about ₦48 million during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

One of the charges stated that between July 2 and July 10, 2020, Faleti converted ₦12.6 million for personal use, while another alleged that between May 22 and July 1, 2020, he converted ₦6.9 million, all property of Access Bank Plc.

The offences were said to contravene Section 287(1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

974 Nigerians Face Imminent Deportation from Canada Amid Enforcement Surge – No fewer than 974 Nigerians are currently facing imminent deportation from Canada, according to official data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

The affected individuals fall under the country’s “removal-in-progress” category, signifying that deportation proceedings have commenced but remain inconclusive, pending final arrangements such as travel documents. Between January and October 2025 alone, Canadian authorities deported 366 Nigerians, marking a significant uptick from previous years.
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Of these, approximately 83 per cent comprised failed refugee claimants, while criminality accounted for about four per cent of cases. Nigeria emerged as the only African country in Canada’s top 10 nationalities for deportations in 2025, securing ninth position, while ranking fifth among those awaiting removal.

This contrasts sharply with 2023 and 2024, when Nigeria was absent from the top 10 deportation list, though figures reflect an eight per cent rise over the 2019 total of 339 removals.

Canada’s aggressive enforcement drive has seen nearly 400 foreign nationals removed weekly, culminating in 18,048 deportations during the 2024-2025 fiscal year at a cost of about $78 million.

The initiative draws support from an additional $30.5 million for removals and $1.3 billion for border enforcement, aimed at bolstering immigration controls amid pressures on housing, employment, and security.

Canada remains a prime destination for Nigerians outside the United Kingdom and United States, with over 71,000 acquiring citizenship between 2005 and 2024, alongside thousands arriving annually as students, workers, and permanent residents.
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Under Canadian law, those issued enforceable removal orders must depart voluntarily or face enforced exit. The CBSA’s nationwide inventory lists 29,542 individuals in removal-in-progress as of late 2025, dominated by failed refugee claims at 15,605 cases. Nigeria’s 974 cases place it behind India (6,515), Mexico (4,650), USA (1,704), and China (1,430).
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Immigration lawyers caution that passage of Bill C-12 could escalate deportations by imposing permanent bans on certain refugee claims and curbing late filings.

Authorities attribute the push to restoring system integrity, with non-compliance by refugee claimants driving most inadmissibility findings.