Author: Opalim Lifted

The Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, says Nigerian workers are now taking home higher salaries following a reduction in pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) deductions under the new tax laws. Oyedele made this known on his X handle on Monday, citing feedback from employees who have received their January 2026 salaries. He had earlier stated that about 98 per cent of Nigerian workers would either pay no PAYE tax or pay lower taxes under the new framework. According to him, early indications show that the new tax regime is already easing the tax burden on workers,…

Christmas Day airstrikes in northwest Nigeria targeted militants linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), a senior US Africa Command official has said. Lieutenant General John Brennan told AFP that the operations struck areas used as staging points by armed groups operating across the Sahel, based on intelligence provided by Nigerian authorities. “The most recent information we received from the Nigerians was that it was ISIS Sahel-related,” Brennan said on the sidelines of a US–Nigeria security meeting. Analysts have expressed concern about ISSP’s potential expansion from the Sahel into coastal West African countries, including Nigeria. President Donald Trump confirmed…

A Lagos court has convicted AAC Consulting Limited for stealing over ₦30.5 million belonging to contract staff of Chevron Nigeria Limited. Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja delivered the verdict on Friday, January 23, 2026, after the company pleaded guilty to an amended one-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. AAC Consulting Limited was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC on January 12, 2026, for stealing, contrary to Section 285(1) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State. The case dates back to June 5, 2023, when the…

American rapper Kanye West has issued a public apology to Black and Jewish communities over his past offensive remarks and actions. West made the apology through a full-page advert placed in The Wall Street Journal, where he published a lengthy letter titled “To Those I’ve Hurt.” The apology comes days before the release of his new album, Bully, scheduled for January 30. The project follows his 2024 album, Vultures 1. In the statement, the 48-year-old linked some of his past behaviour to injuries he sustained after a car accident. “At the time, the focus was on the visible damage—the fracture,…

Yakubu Dogara, former speaker of the house of representatives, says decisions on power-sharing and religious balance should be guided by justice rather than fear or political pressure. Dogara spoke on Sunday Politics, a Channels TV programme, amid speculation that Vice President Kashim Shettima could be dropped as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate ahead of the 2027 general election. The Christian-born politician added that governance should prioritise inclusiveness and fairness in building a nation that works for all. Asked to respond to claims that his name was being mentioned as a potential running mate ahead of the president’s re-election bid, Dogara…

The leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu is planning to replace Vice-President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 presidential election. In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele reiterated his warning to Tinubu against adopting a Muslim–Muslim ticket, noting that ignoring the advice could lead to Shettima’s removal from office. He warned that an acrimonious removal of the vice-president could negatively affect the ruling party, as Shettima might work against its interests. “I warned Tinubu against a Muslim–Muslim ticket, but most people did not listen. If Shettima…

Peter Obi stands at a political crossroads. The path to his 2027 presidential ambition is narrowing, and while much of his predicament stems from his own choices, Nigeria’s complex opposition politics has also played a decisive role. Many observers trace Obi’s troubles to his defection to the Action Democratic Congress (ADC). Yet, the unraveling arguably began after the 2023 election. The former Anambra governor’s rise as Labour Party presidential candidate was almost effortless. Other aspirants stepped aside, granting him the ticket unopposed. Fresh from leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after failing to secure its nomination, Obi presented himself as…

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, says he is confident in the state’s ability to overcome its governance challenges, declaring that divine support will sustain its leadership, institutions, and communities. Fubara, who was represented by his deputy, Ngozi Odu, spoke on Sunday at the 2026 Holy Ghost rally organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, the state capital. He said the state government draws strength from its faith in God, describing the theme of the rally, “The All-Sufficient God,” as timely and reassuring. “With the Almighty God on our side,…

Paul Ibe, Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns over the Presidency’s handling of information regarding President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing state visit to the Republic of Turkey. In a post on his official Facebook page on Monday, Ibe disclosed that President Tinubu departed Abuja on Sunday, January 26, 2026, for a multi-day diplomatic engagement in Turkey. He noted that while the Presidency, in a statement issued on January 25, confirmed the President’s departure date, it did not specify the duration of the visit or an expected return date. According to Ibe, the official statement…

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kajuru on Sunday held special prayers for the safe return of 177 worshippers abducted from churches in Kurmin Wali community, even as armed bandits abducted six more residents from Mararaba Kajuru in the early hours of the same day. The incident in Mararaba Kajuru occurred at about 1:00 a.m. when the bandits stormed Unguwar Barkonu, breaking into homes and forcibly taking six people to an unknown location. A resident, Steven Kefas, said: “This incident didn’t occur in a remote village with no access road; it happened right at the heart of Kajuru, in…