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PLANNED ILLEGAL TAKEOVER OF BALOGUN MARKET : Traders Seek IGP Intervention
PLANNED ILLEGAL TAKEOVER OF BALOGUN MARKET: Traders Seek IGP Intervention.
SaharaWeeklyNG Reports That Traders, shop owners, and stakeholders operating under the aegis of Balogun Market Business Association, BBA, in Lagos State, have raised the alarm over rumored threat to invade their market by thugs loyal to their former Chairman, Chief Okey Ezeibe, who they alleged is being aided by some top corrupt police officers.
The aggrieved Traders who addressed pressmen, at the Association Secretariat, located at the popular Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Badagry Express Way, Ojo, alleged that credible intelligence in their possession indicated that the planned unlawful invasion of their hitherto peaceful market, would take place between Sunday, June 27th,2021 and Wednesday, July 28th, 2021.
Warning of imminent bloodshed of innocent traders, should the alleged invasion happens, the Principal Stakeholders while recalling that similar attacks by the same Chief Ezeibe in the years 2005 and 2007, led to unnecessary waste of lives, vowed to ensure unprecedented resistance against unlawful take over of their market by those they said have no stake in their Association.
The group, therefore, called on the Lagos State Government, the Inspector – General of Police, the Directorate of State Security Service, and the State Commissioner of Police, to urgently intervene and wield into the crisis, to protect their market and forestall possible breakdown of law and Order.
Speaking, the Chief Security Officer,(CSO), of the Association, Chief Celestine Emechebe, Vowed that the traders would do everything within the ambit of the law to defend themselves and the market from being unlawfully taken over by those he described as Touts working with Chief Ezeibe.
” We got the information that Chief Okey Ezeibe and his opposition group, after the Kangaroo election with hooligans at the Villa Park Hotel, have perfected their plans to unlawfully invade our market on Sunday and forcefully install his Administration with the help of his police friends. They will not succeed because we will resist it with all our strength. This was the same thing he did in 2005 and 2007, that led to the death of some persons.”
While giving insight into the cause of the crisis, Emechebe stressed that ” It was Chief Ezeibe’s insistence on heading our Association’s Board Of Trustees as Chairman, Many years after he completed his tenure as President, contrary to the market Constitution, which provides that the incumbent president should be Chairman, was what started the crisis .”
” Despite that, I regard Chief Ezeibe as my Mentor, I have advised him privately to allow the present administration and caretaker Committee led by Chief Anselem Duru, to complete its term next month, to make way for a peaceful election on July 28th, but he refused to allow peace reign in the market”, Emechebe Said.
According to the Progenitor /Founding Father of BBA, Ambassador Leonard Ogbonna, who is also the Secretary of the Caretaker committee inaugurated by the Outgoing president, Chief Tony Obih, ” Greed on the part of Ezeibe, has been our problem here. I was the person that invited Ezeibe from Automobile Spare Parts Market, to join us in BBA, after I and few other Founding fathers had conceptualized the idea for the Association in 1990, due mainly to congestion, extortion by social miscreants and shylock landlords, who were oppressing us at our former location at Lagos Island .”
Lamenting at the briefing attended by other Stakeholders and aggrieved contestants in their forthcoming July 28th elections, such as a Pioneer BOT Member, Chief Nicholas Okeke, High Chief (Dr.) John Ezeakor (aka Ojiji), Contesting for the office of president, Ogbuefi Emmanuel Otunabor, Chief Okey Ojiaku, Chief Benson Amaechi, Dr. Emeka Igbosopulu, Hon. Elendu Ikenna, Hon. Nnamdi Okoye, Hon. Mrs. Pauline Onuekwusi and others. Ambassador Ogbonnaya regretted making Ezeibe a president of the Association in 1992, after leading the Traders for two years.
Expressing the position of the association, he said thus: ” At the expiration of Chief Tony Obih’s tenure as president, he could not conduct an election due to the COVID-19 lockdown. As stipulated in our constitution, the outgoing Administration then inaugurated a Caretaker Committee headed by Hon. Anselem Duru. After the expiration of the constitutional two months lifespan of the committee, We approached a Badagry Magistrate court for an extension, which was granted until July 31, 2021, and upheld by a Federal High Court. We have appointed a Constitutional Returning Officer by the name of Chief G. O . Umunnabuike, who has instituted an Electoral panel already working, with our elections fixed for July 28th, next month.”
Questioning the validity of the Elections purportedly held at Villa Park Hotel, Amb. Ogbonna queried why ” Ezeibe is creating Confusion by conducting illegal elections outside BBA market and employing an Obnoxious CAC decision, which has been upturned by an order of a Federal High Court “. Collaborating Ogbonna’s position, Chief Nicholas Okeke, said 80 percent of the market population of over 15,000 members trading in their market, did not attend the illegal elections conducted in the hotel. Contributing, High Chief (Dr.) John Ezeakor, who is a popular front-runner presidential candidate in the forthcoming market polls, noted that what happened at the Villa Park hotel, was a charade, selection, and not election, as most of the aspirants were not informed.
For Ogbuefi Otunabor, chief Ojiaku, Dr. Igbosopulu, Hon. Elendu, and Hon. Okoye, they slammed Ezeibe thus, ” We were not informed about the sham they called elections, Elections are not and have never been conducted outside the market, It was unconstitutional and out of the Five presidential aspirants, only two were selected and invited. We are looking forward to the July 28th elections, which we believe the outcome would be acceptable to all the traders, ” They stated.
Checking the pulse of traders seen clustered in different groups at the Multi-billion Naira market, there are palpable fears of the alleged threat of invasion, this is even as a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has stepped into the long-running crisis in Balogun Business Association.
The court granted the application of the association on June 24th by its leadership, led by Chief Anselm Dunu, to quash a purported decision of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), revoking the current Certificate of Registration of the Association.
The application of the association is for orders of certiorari, prohibition, and injunction arising from a letter addressed by the commission to some of the lawyers involved in the imbroglio.
The order followed an application made by six members of the market for themselves as incumbent chairman and secretary, respectively, of the caretaker committee of the association representing other incumbent members of the committee upon an ex-parte motion seeking an order granting leave to them to quash the letter issued by revoking and canceling the certificate of registration of the association.
After hearing the case, the court, therefore, ordered a leave to be granted to the applicant for orders of certiorari, prohibition, and injunction against the respondent within seven days of the order.
It will be recalled that traders at the multi-billion-naira market had raised the alarm over an alleged plan by a group to conduct elections into the leadership of their association outside the market and called on security agencies to urgently intervene to avoid a bloodbath.
The aggrieved traders alleged a plan to foist an illegal leadership on the association through election outside their market and vowed to stop it.
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE OF CHINEDU NSOFOR (CEO, WORK WHILE IN SCHOOL GROUP)
Chinedu Nsofor is a dynamic and seasoned technocrat, a visionary social worker, an International Development Expert, and an accomplished programmes development and management expert with over 15 years of diverse professional experience. He is a trailblazer in youth empowerment, job creation, and social innovation, renowned for his creative problem-solving skills and unmatched ability to transform challenges into sustainable opportunities.
With a strong academic foundation—holding a B.Sc. in Social Work from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and an M.Sc. in Social Work (Industrial Social Welfare) from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso—he combines intellectual depth with practical expertise. His distinguished career reflects his unwavering commitment to tackling unemployment in Nigeria, a mission he has pursued through pioneering initiatives such as the Work While in School Programmes, the IMOFINTEC project for 5,000 youths, and several other impactful programmes across tertiary institutions, government bodies, and international organizations.
Recognized as a versatile project management expert, innovative business development strategist, creative writer, professional biographer, media consultant, and Wikipedian, Nsofor’s influence extends across social, economic, and academic spheres. His professional track record includes leadership roles in reputable organizations such as the Nigeria Association of Economists, Global Coalition for Sustainable Environment, Iwuanyanwu Foundation, the Imo State Government Committee on Science and Technology Roadmap (2020–2030), and Asia Pacific Sports International, where he has served as Nigeria’s Programmes Director.
Heiss is also currently the Country Director (Nigeria), RapidHeal International, a health intervention firm with its global headquarters in Malaysia. Beyond his rich portfolio, he is celebrated for his divine wisdom, inspirational leadership, and Midas touch in wealth and job creation, having directly empowered over 50,000 youths across Nigeria with life-transforming skills. Passionate, resourceful, and impact-driven, Chinedu Nsofor stands out as a nation-builder whose contributions continue to shape lives and institutions to the glory of God.
Customs at the Crossroads: When Lawmakers Look Away and the Executive Looks Aside
By Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi
In a democracy, legislative oversight is the scalpel that cuts through deceit, inefficiency, and corruption in public institutions. It is the people’s last institutional shield against abuse of power. But what happens when that shield becomes a shelter for the very rot it is meant to expose? And what happens when the Executive arm, whose duty is to supervise its agencies, pretends not to see?
The unfolding drama between the National Assembly and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) reveals more than a policy dispute. It exposes a dangerous triangle of confusion, complicity, and economic sabotage. At stake is not only the rule of law but the survival of an economy already gasping under inflation, a weak naira, and suffocating costs of living.
The House Talks Tough
In June 2025, Nigerians saw a glimpse of legislative courage when the House of Representatives Committee thundered at Customs:
> “Nigerian Customs Service, by June 30, must not collect CISS again. You are to collect only your 4% FOB assigned by the President. Even the 7% cost of collection you currently take is illegal—it was an executive fiat of the military, not democratic law. Any attempt to continue these illegal collections will be challenged in court. The ‘I’s have it.”
The voice was firm, the ruling decisive. Nigerians expected a turning point.
But the righteous thunder of the House was quickly muffled by the Senate’s softer tone, which suggested not the enforcement of the law but a readiness to bend it.
Senate: Oversight or Escape Route?
At a Senate Customs Committee session, Senator Ade Fadahunsi admitted openly that Customs has been operating illegally since June 2023. Yet rather than demand an end to illegality, he extended a lifeline to Comptroller-General Bashir Adeniyi:
> “If we come back to the same source… the two houses will sit together and see to your amendment so you will not be walking on a tight rope.”
But should Adeniyi be handed a loose rope while Nigeria’s economy hangs by a thread?
Instead of accountability, the Senate Customs Committee floated adjustments that would make life easier for Customs. The nation was given hints about fraudulent insurance and freight data, but instead of sanctions, what we saw was a search for escape routes. This is not oversight—it is overlook.
Smuggling and Excuses
The Senate Committee also lamented cross-border smuggling—Nigerian goods like cement flooding Cotonou, Togo, and Ghana at cheaper prices than in Nigeria. Senator Fadahunsi blamed the Central Bank’s 2% value deposit for encouraging the practice.
But where are the Senate’s enforcement actions—compliance checks, stiffer sanctions, cross-border coordination? None. The result is predictable: smugglers prosper, reserves bleed, and ordinary Nigerians pay more for less.
A Bloated Customs Budget
The Service’s 2024 capital allocation ballooned to ₦1.1 trillion from ₦706 billion. Instead of channeling these resources into modern trade systems, Customs is expanding empires of frivolity—such as proposing a new university despite already having training facilities in Gwagwalada and Ikeja that could easily be upgraded.
Oversight is not an afterthought; it is the legislature’s constitutional duty. To see waste and illegality and yet propose amendments that would legalise them is to turn oversight into overlook.
Customs has about 16,000 staff, yet many remain poorly trained. Rather than prioritise capacity building, the Service is busy building staff estates in odd locations. How does Modakeke—an inland town with no border post—end up with massive Customs housing projects, while strategic border towns like Badagry, Idiroko, and Saki remain neglected? Is Bashir Adeniyi Comptroller-General of Customs—or Minister of Housing?
The 4% FOB Levy: A Policy Blunder
The central controversy is the Federal Government’s plan to replace existing port charges with a new 4% Free-On-Board (FOB) levy on imports.
Nigeria is an import-dependent nation. This levy will instantly hike the costs of cars, spare parts, machinery, and raw materials—crippling industries and punishing consumers.
Already, the consequences are biting:
A 2006 Toyota Corolla now costs between ₦6–9 million.
Clearing agents who once paid ₦215,000 for license renewal must now cough out ₦4 million.
New freight forwarder licenses have jumped from ₦600,000 to ₦10 million.
Customs claims the revenue is needed for its modernisation programme, anchored on a software platform called B’Odogwu. But stakeholders describe this so-called “Odogwu” as epileptic—if not comatose. Why commit trillions to a ghost programme that will be obsolete by January 2026, when the Nigerian Revenue Service is set to take over Customs collections?
Industry Raises the Alarm
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has warned that the levy will worsen inflation, disrupt supply chains, and hurt productivity.
Lucky Amiwero, President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, calls the levy “economically dangerous.” His reasoning is straightforward:
The 4% FOB levy is much higher than the 1% CISS it replaces.
Peer countries like Ghana maintain just 1%.
The new levy will fuel inflation, raise the landed costs of goods, and destabilise the naira.
He also revealed that the Customs Modernisation Act, which introduced the levy, was passed without Senate scrutiny or meaningful stakeholder consultation. He estimates that the levy could add ₦3–4 trillion annually to freight costs—burdens that will be transferred directly to consumers.
Who Is Behind the “Odogwu” Masquerade?
The haste to enforce this levy, despite its looming redundancy, raises disturbing questions. Who benefits from the “Odogwu” project draining trillions? Why the rush, when NRS will take over collections in a few months?
This masquerade must be unmasked.
The Price Nigerians Pay
For ordinary Nigerians, this policy translates into one thing: higher prices. Cars, manufactured goods, and spare parts are spiraling beyond reach. A nation struggling with inflation, unemployment, and a weak currency cannot afford such reckless experiments.
So, while the Senate looks away, the Executive cannot look aside.
The Executive Cannot Escape Blame.
It is easy to focus on the failings of the legislature. But we must not forget: the Customs Service is an agency of the Federal Ministry of Finance, under the direct supervision of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun.
If Customs is breaking the law, wasting resources, or implementing anti-people policies, the buck stops at the Executive’s table. The Minister of Finance is Chairman of the Customs Board. To fold his hands while the Service operates in illegality is to abdicate responsibility.
History gives us a model. In 1999, the Minister of State for Finance, Nenadi Usman, was specifically assigned to supervise Customs and report directly to the President. Meanwhile, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala focused on broader fiscal and economic policies. That division of responsibility improved accountability. Today, the absence of such an arrangement is feeding impunity.
President Tinubu and his Finance Minister must act decisively. Oversight without executive will is a dead letter.
A Call to Accountability
The truth is stark:
Customs has been operating illegally since June 2023 to the Senate’s own confession.
The 4% FOB levy will deepen inflation and worsen economic hardship.
The Ministry of Finance bears ultimate responsibility for Customs’ conduct.
Until importing and consuming, Nigerians demand accountability—of the Comptroller-General, the Senate, and above all, the Finance Ministry—this bleeding will continue.
Nigerians deserve better. They deserve a Customs Service that serves the nation, not a privileged few. They deserve a House that enforces its resolutions, not one that grandstands. They deserve a Senate that upholds the law, not one that bends it. And above all, they deserve an Executive that does not look aside while illegality thrives under its ministry.
Only public pressure can end this indulgence. If Nigerians keep silent, we will keep paying the price—in higher costs, weaker currency, and a sabotaged economy.
Citizens’ Charge: Silence is Not an Option
Fellow Nigerians, the Customs crisis is not a drama for the pages of newspapers—it is a burden on our pockets, our businesses, and our children’s future. Every illegal levy is a tax on the poor. Every abandoned oversight is an open invitation to corruption. Every silence from the Executive is an approval of impunity.
We cannot afford to fold our arms. Democracy gives us the power of voice, the duty of vigilance, and the right to demand accountability. Let us demand that:
The Senate and House of Representatives stop playing good cop, bad cop, and enforce the law without compromise.
The Ministry of Finance takes full responsibility for the Customs Service, supervising it in the interest of Nigerians, not vested interests.
The President intervenes now, before the Service crosses the dangerous line of turning illegality into policy.
History will not forgive a people who suffered in silence when their economy was bled by recklessness. Silence is complicity. The time to speak, to write, to petition, to protest, and to demand is now.
Customs must serve Nigeria—not sabotage it.
Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi is an Apostle and Nation Builder. He’s also the President of Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener Apostolic Round Table. BoT Chairman, Project Victory Call Initiative, AKA PVC Naija. He is a strategic Communicator and the CEO, Masterbuilder Communications.
Email:[email protected]
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Apostle Johnson Suleman: Firebrand of Faith, Prophet to the Nations, Voice to a Generation
By Femi Oyewale
In the beginning, there was just one man with a burning vision. Today, that man has become a global force whose voice thunders across continents, whose prayers ignite miracles, and whose mission is transforming destinies worldwide. He is Apostle Johnson Suleman, the fiery Restoration Apostle, the humanitarian preacher, and the global trailblazer reshaping the Christian faith for a new generation.
From Auchi to the World
Born in Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria, Apostle Suleman’s rise from humble beginnings to international prominence is nothing short of remarkable. What started as a divine calling has now evolved into a global mandate, reaching millions through Omega Fire Ministries International (OFM).
His story is the classic tale of vision meeting conviction—of a man who dared to believe God not just for himself, but for nations. From a modest congregation, OFM has spread like wildfire, with branches in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, and beyond.
The Man & The Mission
To know Suleman is to understand passion—passion for God, for people, and transformation. He lives by one mantra: populate Heaven, depopulate Hell.
His pulpit is a battlefield, his voice a trumpet, his words a sword. Through his fiery sermons, prophetic declarations, and healing crusades, countless men and women testify of divine encounters—cancers healed, destinies restored, impossibilities overturned.
But beyond the pulpit lies the heart of a humanitarian. Suleman’s mission has always extended beyond preaching. He funds scholarships for the underprivileged, empowers widows with homes, sets up businesses for struggling families, and supports countless orphans. In times of crisis, he has sent relief materials across regions, proving that true ministry is not only heard—it is seen.
The Impact
Step into one of his crusades, and the atmosphere tells its own story. Stadiums overflow. Multitudes gather, hungry for hope. From London to Houston, Dubai to Johannesburg, crowds testify to healings, deliverance, and restoration.
Through Celebration TV and other digital platforms, Suleman’s voice penetrates homes, villages, and cities, giving access to millions who may never step into a physical church. His boldness in confronting social ills and speaking truth to power has also established him as a fearless voice beyond the church walls.
The Global Moves
Apostle Suleman is not just a Nigerian voice—he is a global phenomenon. His recent international crusades draw audiences in their tens of thousands, breaking barriers of race, culture, and language.
From prophesying to presidents to laying hands on ordinary citizens, his message is universal: God still speaks, God still heals, God still restores.
Each global tour solidifies his place as one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 21st century. He is as comfortable commanding a crowd in Chicago as he is in Accra, as bold in Paris as he is in Abuja.
The Legacy in Motion
Apostle Johnson Suleman is more than a preacher—he is a movement. A man consumed by vision, driven by compassion, and equipped with an anointing that refuses to be confined by borders.
From Auchi to America, from pulpits to palaces, from widows to world leaders, his impact is undeniable. And as the Restoration Apostle continues to blaze trails across nations, one thing is certain: his legacy is still unfolding, and his global moves have only just begun.
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