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Nigeria ‘s Super Eagles this evening, beat Tanzania’s Taifa Stars to a 2-1 slim victory at the Stade de Fez, Morocco .

The Super Eagles started strongly, with Victor Osimhen and Lookman causing early problems for the Tanzanian defence.

Nigeria’s first real chance came in the 11th minute when Chukwueze’s corner found Akor Adams, whose shot was saved by the Tanzanian goalkeeper.

Tanzania responded with long-range efforts, but Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali kept his side on course.

Nigeria eventually broke the deadlock in the 36th minute. Alex Iwobi’s lofted cross found Ajayi, who powered a header into the net to give Nigeria a 1-0 lead.

The first half ended with Nigeria holding the advantage despite Tanzania showing glimpses of attacking intent in the wet conditions.

The second half began in spectacular fashion. Tanzania’s M’Mombwa equalised in the 50th minute, slotting a lofted delivery into the bottom-left corner.

Nigeria responded almost immediately, with Lookman collecting the ball outside the box and fired a left-footed strike past Masudi in the 52nd minute to restore the Super Eagles’ lead.

Substitutions followed as Nigeria introduced Simon Moses, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Paul Onuachu, while Tanzania brought on John, Job, and Mnonga to boost their attack.

Tanzania came close late on, with John flashing a low shot wide in the 83rd minute, but Nigeria held firm to secure all three points.

The win gives Nigeria a perfect start to their Group C campaign, while Tanzania will look to bounce back in their next fixture.

Atiku Abubakar, ex- Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) has strengthened the public calls for the suspension of the Federal Government’s new tax laws following the discovery of illegal and unauthorized alterations made to document after passage by the National Assembly.

Atiku, in a statement he signed personally on Tuesday, asserted “What the National Assembly did not pass cannot become law.”

Atiku described the forgery of the tax law as “a brazen act of treason against the Nigerian people and a direct assault on our constitutional democracy.”

The statement reads: “This draconian overreach by the executive branch undermines the foundational principle of legislative supremacy in the making of laws.

It reveals a government more interested in extracting wealth from struggling citizens than empowering them to prosper.

The Unconstitutional Alterations

The following substantive changes were allegedly illegally inserted into the tax bills after parliamentary approval, in clear violation of Sections 4 and 58 of the 1999 Constitution:

1. New Coercive Powers Without Legislative Consent

*Arrest powers granted to tax authorities

*Property seizure and garnishment without court orders

*Enforcement sales conducted without judicial oversightThese provisions transform tax collectors into quasi-law enforcement agencies, stripping Nigerians of due process protections that the National Assembly deliberately included.

2. Increased Financial Burdens on Citizens*Mandatory 20% security deposit before appealing tax assessments*Compound interest on tax debts*Quart

erly reporting requirements with lowered thresholds

*Forced USD computation for petroleum operations

These changes erect barriers that prevent ordinary Nigerians from challenging unjust assessments while increasing compliance costs for businesses already struggling in a difficult economy.

3. Removal of Accountability Mechanisms

*Deletion of quarterly and annual reporting obligations to the National Assembly

*Elimination of strategic planning submission requirements

*Removal of ministerial supervisory provisions

By stripping away oversight mechanisms, the government has insulated itself from accountability while expanding its powers—a hallmark of authoritarian governance.

A Government Against Its People

This constitutional violation exposes a troubling reality: a government obsessed with imposing ever-increasing tax burdens on impoverished Nigerians rather than creating conditions for prosperity.

Instead of investing in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic empowerment that would expand the tax base organically, this administration chooses the path of aggressive extraction from an already struggling populace.

Nigeria’s poverty rate remains alarmingly high, unemployment continues to devastate families, and inflation erodes purchasing power daily.

Yet rather than supporting citizens to become more productive, thereby generating sustainable tax revenues, the government employs draconian measures to squeeze resources from people who have little left to survive.

True economic growth comes from empowering citizens, not impoverishing them further through punitive taxation and erosion of legal protections.

A thriving economy with prosperous citizens naturally generates robust tax revenues. But this requires vision, investment, and patience, qualities evidently lacking in an administration that resorts to constitutional manipulation to achieve short-term fiscal goals.

I hereby call upon:1. The Executive to immediately suspend the implementation of the tax law effective January 1, 2026 to give room for a proper investigation.

2. The National Assembly to immediately rectify these illegal alterations through proper legislative processes and hold accountable those responsible for this constitutional breach.

3. The Judiciary to strike down these unconstitutional provisions and reaffirm the sanctity of the legislative process.

4. Civil Society and all Nigerians to reject this assault on democratic principles and demand governance that serves the people rather than exploiting them.

5. The Government to abandon this path of extraction and oppression, and instead focus on policies that enable Nigerian citizens and businesses to thrive.

6. The EFCC to immediately investigate and prosecute those found culpable in the illegal alteration of our laws to extort and defraud the Nigerian people.

What the National Assembly did not pass cannot become law.

This fundamental principle must be defended, or we risk descending into arbitrary rule where constitutional safeguards mean nothing.

The Nigerian people deserve better than a government that circumvents democracy to impose hardship.

We demand accountability, constitutional compliance, and economic policies that build prosperity rather than deepen poverty.”

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has announced that the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will now automatically serve as the Tax Identification Number (Tax ID) for individual Nigerians under the country’s new tax regime.

FIRS also said that registered businesses will also no longer need a separate Tax Identification Number, as their Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration (RC) number will now function as their Tax ID.

The Service made the disclosure on its official X handle on Monday, ahead of the passage of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), one of the new tax laws introduced as part of the Federal Government’s broader fiscal and tax reform agenda .

The new tax law is scheduled to come into force in January 2026 and mandates the use of a Tax ID for certain financial and economic transactions, including banking-related activities.