Tag: Sokoto

  • Sokoto begins strict enforcement of monthly tax filing with penalties for defaulters

    Sokoto begins strict enforcement of monthly tax filing with penalties for defaulters

    Figures cited by Punch show Sokoto State’s revenue service is pushing full compliance on monthly tax filings for taxable persons starting January 2026, warning that penalties will apply for non-compliance.

    The policy is positioned as a compliance reset—bringing more individuals and businesses into regular filing, tightening documentation, and strengthening the state’s ability to plan and enforce revenue rules.

    The enforcement angle extends to public contracting, where tax registration is expected to become a more visible compliance gate for suppliers.

    For SMEs and informal operators, the practical issue is capacity: monthly filing needs simple processes and predictable treatment to avoid turning compliance into harassment.

    Punch also highlighted an enforcement detail that statutory bodies or companies awarding contracts to unregistered persons risk a “₦5 million” penalty. Another Punch recap echoed the state IRS announced “full enforcement of compulsory monthly tax filings.”

    Echotitbits take: This succeeds only if enforcement is paired with ease—online filing, helpdesks, clear templates, and dispute resolution. Watch whether the net broadens or the pressure just shifts to already-compliant taxpayers.

    Source: Punch – https://punchng.com/sokoto-irs-begins-enforcement-of-compulsory-monthly-tax-filings/  January 7, 2026
    Punch January 7, 2026

    Photo Credit: Punch Newspapers

  • DHQ deploys GPS-guided munitions in reported Sokoto counter-terror strikes

    DHQ deploys GPS-guided munitions in reported Sokoto counter-terror strikes

    2026-01-01 07:25:00
    Reporting by Reuters indicates Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters deployed GPS-guided precision munitions in operations targeting militant enclaves in Sokoto State.

    The report suggests the strikes were aimed at degrading command structures and limiting mobility routes in forest corridors used by armed groups, amid pressure to show measurable security gains.

    The implication is a shift toward more technology-driven targeting that could reduce risk to ground troops while expanding the air campaign footprint.

    ThisDay also reported Nigeria’s military used “GPS-guided precision munitions” in the Sokoto operation.

    A separate local follow-up likewise described strikes intended to disrupt bandit enclaves and logistics routes.

    Echotitbits take:

    Tech can improve targeting, but success depends on intelligence quality and post-strike ‘hold’ operations. Watch for independent confirmation, civilian-harm reporting, and whether communities experience fewer raids afterward.

    Source: Reuters — December 31, 2025 (https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigeria-used-gps-guided-precision-munitions-sokoto-strikes-via-mq-9s-sources-say-2025-12-31/)

    Reuters 2025-12-31

    Photo Credit: Reuters

  • Tinubu backs US precision strike on Sokoto terror camps as debris sparks questions

    Tinubu backs US precision strike on Sokoto terror camps as debris sparks questions

    Photo Credit: The Nation
    2025-12-28 09:00:00

    According to The Nation, President Bola Tinubu approved a US precision air strike targeting terrorist camps in Sokoto State, in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

    The report situates the operation within a broader push to degrade armed groups operating in remote border and forest areas.

    TheCable’s newspaper review said US congressman Riley Moore claimed the strikes “prevented planned Christmas attacks,” and also noted government statements that debris from precision‑guided munitions fell in parts of Sokoto and Kwara.

    Echotitbits take: Joint operations raise legitimate questions: oversight, civilian harm monitoring, and whether follow‑on operations actually degrade networks or merely displace them. Watch for casualty transparency, follow‑up arrests, and community reassurance measures.

    Source: The Nation — December 28, 2025 (https://thenationonlineng.net/tinubu-okays-us-air-strike-on-terrorists-in-sokoto/)

    The Nation 2025-12-28

  • Christmas-day U.S. strike jolts Sokoto as Abuja tightens counter‑terror coordination

    Christmas-day U.S. strike jolts Sokoto as Abuja tightens counter‑terror coordination

    Photo Credit: The Punch
    2025-12-27 06:00:00

    According to Punch, residents in parts of northern Nigeria reported heightened anxiety after U.S.-linked strikes were announced against suspected ISIS camps in Sokoto State, with local authorities urging calm and continued vigilance.

    The report said the operation was framed as a coordinated effort with Nigerian authorities amid concerns about cross‑border militant movement from the Sahel and the growth of terror logistics in forest corridors.

    Security analysts quoted in the coverage warned that kinetic operations can disrupt camps but also trigger displacement of fighters, making intelligence‑driven follow‑up and community protection measures critical in the weeks ahead.

    Echotitbits take:
    Beyond the headline drama of “Christmas‑day” strikes, the key story is the evolving Abuja‑Washington security alignment. Watch for: official briefings on targeting safeguards, clearer rules for joint operations, and what Nigeria does next on ground‑holding after air action.

    Source: The Punch — December 27, 2025 (https://punchng.com/trumps-christmas-missiles-strike-fear-in-northern-nigeria/)
    The Punch December 27, 2025

  • Trump says U.S. ordered ‘deadly’ strike on ISIS targets in Nigeria amid Christian-persecution claim

    Trump says U.S. ordered ‘deadly’ strike on ISIS targets in Nigeria amid Christian-persecution claim

    Photo Credit: Daniel Torok / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
    2025-12-25 19:00:00

    In a Christmas Day post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said he had ordered what he described as a “powerful and deadly strike” on ISIS militants in northwest Nigeria, accusing the group of “targeting and viciously killing” Christians.

    In a separate public release, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said it conducted strikes against ISIS terrorists on Dec. 25 in Sokoto State, in coordination with Nigerian authorities, adding that its initial assessment was that multiple ISIS fighters were killed at ISIS camps, while withholding additional details for operational security.

    Reuters reported that Trump framed the operation as a response to attacks he said were hitting Christian communities, while also noting Nigeria’s security crisis is multi-layered and has affected different communities in the country.

    Additional coverage by Al Jazeera and The Guardian also reported Trump’s announcement and AFRICOM’s confirmation of the strike, as details continued to emerge.

    Sources: Truth Social (as cited in Reuters/other outlets); AFRICOM press release; Reuters; Al Jazeera; The Guardian.

    Links: AFRICOM statement: https://www.africom.mil/pressrelease/36158/us-africa-command-conducts-strike-against-isis-in-nigeria | Reuters report: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/us-launches-strikes-against-islamic-state-militants-northwest-nigeria-trump-says-2025-12-25/ | Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/25/trump-says-us-launched-strikes-against-isil-in-northwest-nigeria | The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/25/us-carries-out-airstrikes-against-islamic-state-terrorist-scum-in-nigeria-trump-says

    Truth Social; U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM); Reuters; Al Jazeera; The Guardian 2025-12-25