Business

9mobile Reacts As Executive Director’s Name ‘Appears’ On UAE List Of Terror Financiers

9mobile reacts as executive director’s name ‘appears’ on UAE list of terror financiers

Following a report from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that one ‘Abdulrrahman Ado Musa’ was part of terrorism sponsors from Nigeria, 9mobile has exonerated its executive director from the allegation.

Musa’s name was mentioned alongside Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad as Nigerian terror financiers identified by UAE.

The name strikes a resemblance with 9mobile’s executive director of regulatory and corporate affairs, Abdulrahman Ado, but the teleco claimed that its “purely coincidental”.

In a statement released on Tuesday to douse the speculation, 9mobile said it was a case of mistaken identity, and that its executive directive was not involved in the criminal act.

“The Management of 9mobile wishes to inform the general public that its Executive Director of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Abdulrahman Ado is not the same as ‘Abdulrrahman’ Ado ‘Musa’ purportedly designated along with others by the United Arab Emirates as terror financiers.” 9mobile said.

The Nigerian network provider added, “Some Nigerians were included on the list said to have been ratified by the Emirate Federal Capital. One of the names on the list and that the media has latched on is Abdurrahaman Ado Musa.

“We, however, wish to clarify that the so-named individual is not 9mobile’s Executive Director, Regulatory & Corporate Affairs, Abdulrahman Ado. The resemblance in names is purely coincidental, and our Director does not bear ‘Musa’.

“Our Director, Abdulrahman Ado, is a respectable law-abiding Nigerian. He served the country diligently in public service for over three decades before transferring his services to the private sector.

“He served in various capacities and was Pioneer Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and Executive Commissioner, Licensing and Consumer Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission.

“As a law-abiding company that believes in the greatness of Nigeria, and the well-being of all its citizens, 9mobile would never accommodate any undesirable element within its management and staff.”

Business

Customs exceeds 2024 target, rakes in N71.6bn

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, says it surpassed its revenue target for 2024, raking in a total of N71.6 billion.

The Customs Area Controller, CAC, Effiong Harrison, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying that its target for 2024 was N56.861 billion.

Harrison expressed delight over the record-breaking revenue achieved by the command.

The Customs Area Controller described the 2024 revenue as unprecedented, noting that it was the highest-ever generated in the history of the command.

“A detailed breakdown of the revenue underscores the remarkable achievement of the command in revenue generation.

“During a meeting with his management team, the area controller revealed that the command had exceeded its annual revenue target of N56,861,094,269.07 by generating N71,633,687,108.84.

“This represents a 20 per cent increase, amounting to N14,772,592,839.27,” he said.

According to him, July 2024, in particular, was a standout month, with the command recording its highest-ever monthly revenue of N12 billion.

Harrison, while comparing the command’s performance in 2023 and 2024, noted a significant revenue increase of N41.1 billion in 2024 when compared to the N30.5 billion generated in 2023, reflecting a 135 per cent growth.

He expressed profound gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and his management team for their unwavering support to the command.

Harrison extended appreciation to critical stakeholders and other government agencies, acknowledging them as invaluable partners in the command’s success in 2024.

He expressed optimism that the command would achieve even greater milestones in fulfilling its core mandates in 2025.

Business

FCT-IRS announces deadline for tax returns

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has urged private companies, government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other employers of labour in the territory to file their employee annual tax returns for 2024.

The acting Executive Chairman, Mr Michael Ango, who made the call in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said that the employers have up to Jan. 31 to comply.

In the statement, signed by the service’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Mustapha Sumaila, the FCT-IRS boss said that the returns should be filed using the prescribed forms provided by the service.

This, he said, was in compliance with Section 81 of the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) 2011 (as amended) and the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Regulations.

He explained that the PITA Act mandates all employers of labour in the FCT to file annual returns of all emoluments paid to their employees and the total taxes of the preceding year, not later than Jan. 31 of every year.

Ango had during the 2025 stakeholder’s engagement, emphasised that filing of employee annual returns by all employees was mandatory as provided by law.

He added that failure to file the returns would attract penalties and other sanctions, which the FCT-IRS would not hesitate to impose on any defaulters.

According to him, the best form of compliance is voluntary, which the FCT-IRS expects from all taxpayers in the FCT.

“I, therefore, enjoined all private organisations, MDAs, government owned enterprises, including sole proprietorships who are employers of labour in the FCT to comply with their tax obligations to avoid sanctions.

“More importantly, the support will contribute to the development of the FCT and the efforts of the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, to transform the territory into a modern city,” he said.