Julius Bokoru, Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs to former Minister of Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, has condemned the sealing of his principal’s Maitama residence in Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Bokoru expressed his displeasure in a statement issued on Monday, titled “A grave breach of decency: EFCC’s attempted raid and defacement of Sylva’s family home.”

In November, the EFCC declared Sylva wanted over an alleged $14.8m fraud. Earlier, agents of the military intelligence raided his Abuja home, arresting his brother and driver over his alleged link to an alleged failed coup attempt. Sylva’s media aide had faulted the EFCC for failing to invite the former minister before launching a manhunt for him.

Also, Sylva wrote to the EFCC last week, seeking a mutually agreed date to honour its invitation.

Bokoru said the latest action by the commission was undertaken “without a single letter, without a subpoena, without a warrant, without notification, and without even the most basic adherence to lawful process.”

The statement added, “No courtesy. No procedure. No humanity. It is behaviour unbecoming of any institution that claims to act in the national interest. What unfolded today at the Maitama residence of His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, was nothing short of an affront to decency and a troubling assault on the very principles that underpin a civilised society.

“Officers of the EFCC attempted yet another aggressive intrusion into his home and proceeded to spray-paint his walls in stark red, emblazoning the words ‘EFCC — Keep Off’ as though marking the property of a fugitive rather than the home of a respected statesman.”

He said what made the action even more distressing was that the residence was where Sylva’s children, relatives and staff had been confined for weeks.

“It is the last space available to them, especially now that it appears they are not permitted to leave the country freely. To violate such a place without warning, without justification, is to inflict terror upon innocent people who have no connection whatsoever to political gamesmanship.

“Where, one must ask, are his children expected to go? How long must they endure this atmosphere of fear and uncertainty?” Bokoru queried.

Describing the EFCC’s conduct as “arbitrary” and “vindictive,” he said it violated democratic principles and the values the commission was established to uphold.

Bokoru, however, absolved President Bola Tinubu of involvement.

“We remain firmly convinced that President Bola Tinubu is not involved in these excesses. Throughout his long and distinguished public life, the President has shown unwavering respect for due process, fairness, and institutional integrity.

“This latest incident bears all the hallmarks of local political rivalry being misinterpreted, or mischievously presented, as federal instruction. It is a dangerous muddling of partisan ambition with national authority.

“Government agencies and parastatals must never allow themselves to become weapons in political contests. To do so weakens not only the institutions themselves but the very fabric of our democracy.”

He described Sylva as a statesman who had served Nigeria “with calmness, loyalty and an almost disarming sense of patriotism,” saying the former minister had remained dignified even in the face of provocation.

Bokoru also reminded the public that several of Sylva’s aides and domestic staff — including Paganengigha Anagha, Friday Lusa Paul, Musa Mohammed, and Police Officer Reuben Ayuba — were still in detention, held for weeks on what he described as unclear and insubstantial allegations.

“These are ordinary men, with families and hopes of their own, now caught in a political dragnet that has stripped them of clarity, certainty, and liberty,” he stated.

“Their prolonged detention is unjust. Their suffering is needless. And their situation is emblematic of the wider injustice unfolding before the nation.

“Yet, in spite of the pain and deep emotional strain of this moment, we remain hopeful. Nigeria has weathered storms before — storms of uncertainty, of injustice, of heavy-handedness — and emerged stronger.

“We believe justice will rise above intimidation, that truth will outlast malice, and that, as with all trials faced with dignity and faith, this too shall pass.”

A wave of relief and jubilation swept through Niger State on Monday as 100 school children abducted from St Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, returned safely to their families after nearly three weeks in captivity.

President Bola Tinubu, welcoming the return of the 100 students, immediately renewed efforts to secure the release of the remaining 115 pupils and their teachers, directing security agencies to intensify operations and ensure the safe return of all victims.

St Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri was invaded on November 21, 2025, with the Christian Association of Nigeria claiming 303 students were abducted. By November 23, 50 of the schoolchildren escaped captivity and were reunited with their families.

The proprietor of the schools and Niger State CAN chairman, Rev Bulus Yohanna, confirmed that a total of 227 students, including 12 teachers, were abducted during the attack and with the return of 100 students, 115 students and 12 students remained in captivity.

The 100 rescued children, aged between five and 10, were welcomed by emotional parents, dignitaries, and security personnel in a heartwarming ceremony at the Niger State Government House.

The crowd had earlier besieged the Government House, patiently awaiting the arrival of the 100 freed abducted school children after the announcement of their freedom on Sunday evening.

At exactly 5.30 pm, the children, 100 of them, marched in a single file into the hall to a resounding applause and shout.

Looking visibly malnourished and famished, they could not hide their joy as they felt freedom at last.

The 100 freed students were among 315 pupils, students, and teachers abducted from the schools on November 21, 2025.

A representative of the National Security Adviser, Abdullahi Hong, handed the children over to the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago.

In an emotion-laden speech, Bago promised that the rest of the abducted students would also be rescued soon.

“We want to thank Mr President for giving us the necessary inputs to rescue these children. We want to thank the NSA and every person who has been responsible for the recovery of these children.

“We want to thank development partners here, UNICEF and others, also, we thank you all. And for those who have been praying, continue to pray.

“We wish to recover the other students who are still in captivity. And by the grace of God, in a very short time from now, we are going to recover them Insha Allah,” he said.

He assured parents and guardians of the rescued students that they would be safely handed over to them soon.

“We have called on medical health workers to look at them. They will be checked properly before taking them back to their parents.

“We are working closely with the Christian Association of Nigeria to make sure that they are safely returned home.

“Let me thank everybody here for staying this late just to receive these children. It is important that we all stay here to receive them.

“I am emotionally broken down because I saw their sizes, their ages, you know, but it’s not for today, thank you, and God bless,” Bago said.

Welcoming the news of the release of the students, President Tinubu directed security agencies to secure the immediate freedom of the remaining 115 pupils and their teachers still in captivity.

“I rejoice with Governor Umar Bago and commend our security agencies for their steadfast work,” the President said in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

“My directive remains that all the students and other abducted Nigerians must be rescued and brought back home safely. We must account for all the victims,” he added.

Tinubu said the Federal Government was working with the Niger State Government to reunite the children with their families and strengthen security at schools nationwide.

“From now on, our security agencies, working with the governors, must prevent future kidnappings. Our children should no longer be sitting ducks for heartless terrorists,” he added.

Mass school abductions have plagued Nigeria since Boko Haram seized 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014, triggering a copycat industry of kidnappings for ransom.

Niger State has suffered repeated hits, including the February 2021 Kagara abduction of students and staff, while recent weeks have seen coordinated raids on schools and worship centres in Kebbi and Kwara states.

In his declaration of a security emergency on November 26, Tinubu ordered a surge of operations to protect schools, farms and places of worship, insisting service chiefs coordinate closely with state governments.

Earlier on Sunday, the Niger CAN had said it was not aware of the release of 100 of the abducted Agwara students.

The state chairman and proprietor of St Mary Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, Bishop Bulus Yohanna, said in a statement by his media aide, Daniel Atori.

Yohanna, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora, said, “It will be a thing of joy if some of our children have been released. We have been praying and waiting for their return. If it is true, then it is cheering news.”

The release followed a three-day fasting and prayer organised by CAN in Niger State.

The spiritual exercise began on Friday across the 25 LGAs and was concluded on Sunday in 1st ECWA Church in Minna.

Christians drawn from various denominations converged to pray for the release of 265 children and teachers, stressing that the pupils were being kept for too long.

Yohanna, in his sermon, charged the people, regardless of their religion, tribe, or political affiliation, to join in prayers to end insecurity in the state.

Represented by the Deputy Chairman, Rev Ezekiel Ibrahim, the CAN chairman urged all to come together to pray for divine intervention, to defeat the common enemy

The recent call by a group identifying itself as the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement for the suspension and investigation of the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, raises more questions than it answers.

In a period when Nigeria faces profound economic challenges, it is curious that a body supposedly concerned with national progress has chosen to target the one institution that has consistently delivered measurable results. More troubling is the absence of any specific allegation. The group did not name an offence, cite evidence, or establish wrongdoing.

Instead, it issued a vague, ambiguous statement built around innuendo. Such an approach makes clear that this is not an act of patriotism but a sponsored campaign aimed at distracting a key figure in Nigeria’s economic recovery efforts.

At the centre of the storm is a technocrat whose performance is both documented and publicly verifiable. The question, therefore, is simple: Who is afraid of Zacch Adedeji? Record Revenue Performance Under Dr. Adedeji’s leadership, FIRS has delivered the highest revenue figures in Nigeria’s history.

In 2023, the Service collected ₦12.36 trillion, surpassing its target and setting a new national milestone. This performance was exceeded in 2024, with collections reaching over ₦21.6 trillion, far above the revenue benchmark for the year. Cumulatively, between 2023 and 2025, FIRS mobilised ₦47.39 trillion, representing more than 115% of its combined revenue targets. These numbers, widely published across reputable financial platforms demonstrate not just improved collection but renewed fiscal discipline within the Service.

Digital Transformation and Modernised Tax Administration.

One of Adedeji’s most significant achievements is the modernisation of Nigeria’s tax administration system. The upgrade of TaxProMax automated the majority of tax processes, reducing human interference and simplifying compliance for individuals and businesses alike. Additionally, the introduction of the 829# USSD tax service made Nigeria the first African country to allow taxpayers to access essential tax services through basic mobile phones.

The rollout of the National Single Window Project also integrated tax, customs, and port functions, improving trade efficiency and creating new pathways for improved revenue generation.

Expansion of the Tax Base

FIRS under Adedeji aggressively expanded the tax net by focusing on SMEs and informal-sector businesses traditionally outside the formal tax system.

Through digital tools, taxpayer education, and simplified registration processes, thousands of new taxpayers were onboarded, broadening Nigeria’s revenue base and reducing dependence on oil. Institutional Reforms and Improved Staff Welfare During his tenure, FIRS was restructured into functional clusters designed to improve service delivery and reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks. This modern, customer-centric model has significantly enhanced operational efficiency.

In 2024, he approved a substantial salary increase of over 60% for staff, an unprecedented welfare boost that improved staff morale and encouraged better service delivery. Commitment to Transparency and Taxpayer Protection The establishment of a strengthened Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), in partnership with the ICPC, underscores the Service’s renewed focus on integrity.

Adedeji’s tax philosophy, “We tax prosperity, not poverty” has also guided policies that protect low-income earners while ensuring equitable taxation across economic groups. The Real Motive Behind the Attacks with this level of performance, it is not surprising that vested interests, those who benefited from loopholes, inefficiency, and opacity, now view the reforms at FIRS as a threat. Calls for suspension without evidence suggest that the attacks are less about patriotism and more about stopping a man whose work disrupts the old order.

An attack on Adedeji is, by extension, an attack on the fiscal reforms underpinning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic agenda. It is therefore imperative for security agencies to investigate the sponsors of these faceless campaigns. Conclusion Nigeria’s revenue system is experiencing its strongest period in over a decade, driven by reforms that are transparent, digitally driven, and effective.

At such a time, attempts to distract the Executive Chairman of FIRS should concern every patriotic Nigerian. The facts are clear, the achievements are verifiable, and the progress is undeniable. So the pressing question remains: Who is afraid of Zacch Adedeji and why?