The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has challenged the South East Development Commission (SEDC) leadership to provide transparent details on achievements recorded in its inaugural year despite an approved budget of N140 billion for 2025.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, disclosed that the group’s researchers found no concrete evidence of infrastructure projects executed in the South-East region for the benefit of the Igbo people since the commission’s inception.

Efforts to obtain specifics from Senate Committee Chairman on SEDC, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, and Governing Board Chairman, Chief Emeka Wogu, yielded vague responses, with Wogu citing a mere “road map” and Kalu claiming no information was available.

The rights group recalled that the National Assembly approved N140 billion for SEDC in the N54.9 trillion 2025 budget passed on February 14, matching allocations for other regional commissions like South-West, South-South, and North-Central, while North-West received N145.61 billion and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) got N626.53 billion.

President Bola Tinubu signed the SEDC Establishment Bill into law on July 24, 2024, with the board inaugurated on February 12, 2025, under Chairman Emeka Wogu and Managing Director Mark Okoye.

Okoye, in his inaugural address, quoted the World Bank estimating a $10 billion annual investment need over 30 years to bridge the region’s infrastructure gap, pledging collaboration with states, private sector, and partners to build a $200 billion economy by 2035.

Priorities outlined include security and investment infrastructure, agriculture, industrialisation, technology, innovation, and human capital development, amid challenges like insecurity, low ease-of-doing-business, unemployment, and 2,500 erosion sites displacing thousands.

HURIWA noted that while the commission’s creation sparked optimism to address post-Civil War neglect, bureaucratic hurdles, political meddling, and funding opacity threaten its potential, aligning with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for inclusivity.

The group described SEDC’s performance as a “spectacular failure,” urging Igbo youths and intellectuals to demand accountability to prevent elite capture of funds meant for roads, housing reconstruction, ecological remediation, agriculture, manufacturing, technology, railways, and energy projects in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states.

Onwubiko warned that pocketing the cash-backed N140 billion would betray the Igbo people’s development aspirations, calling for immediate disclosure of expenditures and verifiable outcomes.

Nigeria Police Force has suspended nationwide enforcement of its tinted glass permit policy, hours before its scheduled rollout, in compliance with a Delta State High Court order.

Tinted glass permit

The policy, set for January 2, 2026, aimed to curb vehicle-related crimes but faced legal challenge from a private citizen against the Inspector-General of Police, the force, and Delta Police Commissioner.

An ex parte injunction issued in December 2025 restrained enforcement pending suit determination, prompting the hold announced by spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin on January 1.

Police entered appearance, filed preliminary objections, and sought injunction vacation; hearing adjourned to January 20, 2026.

The Nigerian Bar Association condemned initial police plans as “executive recklessness,” accusing disregard for rule of law, while police insisted no permanent bar existed on statutory duties.

IGP Kayode Egbetokun reiterated adherence to law while prioritising public safety via intelligence-led strategies during proceedings.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has officially metamorphosed into the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), unveiling its new institutional brand identity.

The development ushers a new dawn in revenue administration in the country as the new tax laws come into force today.

The NRS came into operation following the signing of its enabling law known as the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025 by President Bola Tinubu in June 2025.

Speaking at the unveiling of the logo yesterday in Abuja, Executive Chairman of NRS, Zacch Adedeji, explained that the logo and other brand elements for NRS represented an important milestone in the evolution of Nigeria’s revenue administration framework.

This came as a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) turned down a request to stop the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government from implementing the new tax regime scheduled to commence from January 1, 2026.

Also, Director General, Budget Office of the Federation (BoF), Tanimu Yakubu, reaffirmed the integrity of the country’s newly enacted Tax Reform Acts, cautioning against what it described as governance by speculation and unverified claims following allegations of post-passage alterations.

However, delivering ruling, Justice Bello Kawu declined the request and directed the federal government to proceed with the full implementation of the tax law pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Though the ruling was delivered on December 23, the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the ruling signed by the Registrar of the court, Hadiza Sambo Gwandu, dated December 30, 2025, was obtained on Wednesday.

The judge held that there was no concrete and strong evidence before the court to warrant the granting of the reliefs sought.

Specifically, Justice Kawu said: “I have considered the application together with the affidavit in support. I have also considered the submission of the learned counsel for the claimant/applicant together with the judicial authorities cited and I am of the strong view that the court lacks power to stop implementation of a law already signed by the appropriate authority without concrete evidence of any wrong doing.

“At this preliminary stage, it will be difficult if not impossible to prove any wrong doing because at this stage, the court should be careful not to touch on the main issue. It is my considered opinion that granting injunction at this preliminary stage will be touching the subject matter in the main suit.

It should be noted that once an Act is signed into law, it can only be repealed by the lawmakers or any offending section set aside by the court of law; be that as it may, exparte application cannot be used to set aside the coming into force any Act already signed into law or gazetted.

“In view of the above, the implementation of the Tax Act 2025 and other related Acts will commence on January 1, 2026 and continue to be in force pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion before this court, “ Justice Kawu ruled.

Meanwhile, the matter has further been adjourned to January 9, 2026 for hearing of the motion on notice.

President Bola Tinubu had few days ago vowed to proceed with the implementation of the controversial Nigeria Tax Act, 2025.

Responding, a public interest group, the Incorporated Trustees of African Initiative for Abuse of Public Trust, had approached the court with a motion exparte seeking an order of injunction to restrain Tinubu and the federal government from proceeding with the implementation of the new tax law, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the group.

The group predicated their legal action on alleged discrepancies in the new tax laws.

Listed as defendants in the motion marked: FCT/HC/M/17240/2025, are the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Attorney General of the Federation, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives and National Assembly as defendants.

The plaintiff in the motion exparte sought for an order of interim injunction pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit to stop/ restrain the federal government, FIRS, National Assembly, or any of its agencies from implementing, executing, and/or enforcing any of the provisions of the gazetted Nigeria Tax Act, 2025, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025 or the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025 for any reasons, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

They also sought for another order of interim injunction pending the hearing and determination of the motion notice, restraining the President, either by himself or through any agency of the federal government created under the gazette Nigeria Tax Act, 2025 Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025 or the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025 from implementing the provisions of those Acts of the National Assembly in any states of the federation where applicable, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

However, Adedeji, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser (Media), Dare Adekanmbi, said, “The unveiling of the NRS identity reflects a renewed commitment to a more unified, efficient, and service-oriented revenue system, one that is aligned with Nigeria’s economic transformation agenda and global best practices.”

He said the new identity signalled, “continuity of purpose, strengthened institutional capacity, and a forward-looking approach to supporting taxpayers and national development.

“The Nigeria Revenue Service remains committed to transparency, partnership, and service excellence.

“The unveiling of this new identity represents not an end, but the beginning of a strengthened relationship between the revenue authority and the Nigerian public—built on trust, clarity, and shared prosperity.”

However, Yakubu, in a statement, said the budget office had taken note of concerns raised by the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives, stressing that the sanctity of the law is central to constitutional democracy and not a mere procedural formality.

According to the office, any suggestion that a law could be altered after debate, passage, authentication, and presidential assent without due process would strike at the core of the republic and undermine citizens’ right to be governed by transparent and stable laws.

The budget office, warned that democratic integrity is also endangered by the careless amplification of unverified claims.

Yakubu said, “A nation cannot be governed by insinuation or sustained on circulating documents of uncertain origin,” adding that public confidence, once shaken by speculation, is often difficult to restore.

BoF emphasised that both government and citizens share a common interest in truth, clarity, and due process, noting that public finance depends heavily on trust in the legality and clarity of fiscal laws.

It welcomed the decision of the National Assembly to investigate the allegations, describing institutional inquiry, not conjecture as the appropriate response to claims of illegality.

On public access to the law, the office agreed that Nigerians and the business community are entitled to clear and authoritative texts of all laws they are required to obey.

Yakubu clarified, however, that the authenticity of legislation is determined by certified legislative records and official publication processes, not by informal or viral reproductions.

He also underscored the importance of separation of powers, warning that claims suggesting Nigeria is being governed by “fake laws,” if not backed by established facts, risk eroding confidence in democratic institutions.

He stressed that legislative scrutiny should not be dismissed by the executive, noting that oversight is a constitutional duty, not an act of hostility.

From a fiscal perspective, the budget office said legal certainty is essential for revenue projections, macroeconomic stability, budget credibility, and investor confidence.

While it is not the custodian of legislative records, it maintained that uncertainty around operative tax provisions directly affects economic planning.

To restore confidence, the office proposed a set of measures, including the publication of verified reference texts in a single public repository, orderly access to Certified True Copies for stakeholders, clear public explanations where discrepancies are alleged, and strict alignment of all implementing regulations with authenticated legal texts.

Further addressing calls for suspension of the tax reforms, Yakubu cautioned against allowing prudence to slide into paralysis, arguing that properly implemented tax reform is necessary to reduce dependence on borrowing and inflationary financing, while easing indirect burdens on vulnerable citizens.

He said, “Where clarification is required, it must be provided; where correction is required, it must be effected; where investigation is required, it must proceed”, adding that governance and reform should not be stalled by unresolved conjecture.

The BoF reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to fiscal transparency, institutional integrity, and reforms that advance national prosperity while safeguarding citizens’ rights.