Author: Opalim Lifted

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has written to President Bola Tinubu, demanding the immediate public release of certified true copies (CTCs) of the tax bills passed by the National Assembly and the tax laws eventually signed and gazetted by the Federal Government. In a Freedom of Information (FOI) request dated 20 December 2025, SERAP urged the President to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to widely publish the documents to enable Nigerians to verify their authenticity. The laws in question include the National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, the Joint Revenue…

Motorists plying the Lokoja-Abuja highway have been left stranded due to gridlock, barely days before Christmas. The snarling traffic on the route has persisted for three days. Drivers interviewed by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) said they have been on the road since early Saturday with no end in sight. “It is now 8 p.m., and I have been here since 7 a.m. with my family, heading to Enugu,” one motorist said. The gridlock has been most severe around Koton Karfe. Reports indicate that the congestion was caused by two fallen trucks on the road. How to survive Detty December…

President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, to commission projects executed by Babagana Zulum, the governor. Tinubu is expected to commission schools, electric vehicles and other projects carried out by Zulum in collaboration with the federal government. On Friday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said Tinubu will begin a three-state visit to Borno, Bauchi and Lagos on Saturday, December 20. He said the president will also attend the wedding ceremony of Sadeeq Sheriff, son of Ali Modu Sheriff, the former governor of Borno. From Maiduguri, the president will move to…

If you are not travelling this December and you are in Lagos, you might have to start thinking about how you will survive the ever-busy Lagos roads, gridlock, and how not to dirty your Detty December. Lagos roads are expected to be congested, and the congestion has already begun, with traffic from dawn until late at night, usually fuelled by end-of-year travel, concerts, weddings, shopping, and a steady stream of visitors arriving for what has become globally known as Detty December. For residents and visitors alike, surviving the gridlock has become as much a part of the festive season as…

Naeto C, the Nigerian singer, has opened up about the deliberate pause he took from his music career, citing a pivotal shift in personal priorities. In a recent interview on Beat FM, the ‘Ten Over Ten’ hitmaker revealed that his hiatus was a conscious choice, fundamentally shaped by his family. The ‘Kini Big Deal’ singer detailed how his perspective changed after he and his wife Nicole welcomed their first child in 2013, just a year after their marriage in 2012. “For different reasons you know, I think I wanted something different when I thought about my future and the kind…

The United States (US) government has suspended the processing of green card and citizenship applications submitted by Nigerians following Nigeria’s inclusion in an expanded list of countries facing immigration restrictions under a new directive by President Donald Trump. According to a report by CBS News, a US government official confirmed that the Trump administration has instructed the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to halt the consideration of immigration petitions from nationals of countries newly placed under the administration’s expanded travel restrictions, citing national security concerns and an ongoing review of vetting procedures. The directive follows a presidential proclamation…

A fire outbreak occured at one of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) offices in Abuja on Saturday. Videos circulating on social media show flames engulfing parts of the building, triggering panic in the area. In a statement signed by Sikiru Akinola, technical assistant (print media) to the FIRS executive chairman, the agency said the fire broke out at its office located at No. 15 Sokode Crescent, Wuse Zone 5. “The fire, which broke out on the fourth floor of the building, was promptly responded to by our security personnel on duty,” the statement reads. “With the swift support of…

Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, has cautioned against unrealistic projections in the 2026 budget. Speaking recently at a joint sitting of the national assembly after President Bola Tinubu presented the 2026 appropriation bill, Abbas said overly optimistic assumptions could undermine fiscal discipline and weaken public confidence in the budgeting. The speaker said the experience of the outgoing 2025 fiscal year showed the importance of grounding budgets in credible, resilient and realistic assumptions. “If 2025 was a year of adjustment and learning, 2026 must be a year of fulfilment,” he said. “Growth must increasingly translate into jobs, higher…

Arsenal secured the win they needed at Everton to return to the top of the Premier League in a scrappy encounter at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Manchester City overhauled the Gunners with a comfortable victory against West Ham United before this match, putting the pressure on manager Mikel Arteta’s side on the return to his former club. Arsenal’s cause was helped when Everton defender Jake O’Brien needlessly handled Declan Rice’s 27th-minute corner, with Viktor Gyokores hammering home the resulting penalty in emphatic fashion. Arsenal snatch two own goals to scrape win against rock-bottom Wolves The Gunners were not at their best…

Alexander Isak came off the bench to score for Liverpool but then went off injured as Arne Slot’s side beat nine-man Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. Isak broke the deadlock in the 56th minute but was injured in the act of scoring, before Hugo Ekitike doubled Liverpool’s lead 10 minutes later. Richarlison came off the bench to pull a goal back for Spurs but the visitors held on to inflict further pain on Thomas Frank, whose side had Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero sent off and have now won just one of their past eight league games. After a…