General
No Plans to Put Pastors, Imams on Salary—Lagos
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Lagos State government on Tuesday debunked viral report on the social media suggesting that it was planning to commence paying salary to religious leaders in the State, saying the claim was totally untrue and misleading.
Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mr Abdulateef Abdulhakeem, who made the clarification while speaking on a television programme monitored in Lagos, said there was no iota of truth in the said report, and urged members of the public to disregard it in its entirety.
“The clear position is that the Lagos State Government is not intending to employ Imams and Pastors. There is no such plan and there is no willingness on our part to delve into a private realm.
“What exists in Lagos State is that there is a symbiotic relationship between the Lagos State Government and faith-based organizations and it is a mutually beneficial relationship which has contributed to the growth and development of the State,” Mr Abdulhakeem said.
In the said report, Mr Abdulhakeem was quoted as saying that the State Government would soon place religious leaders on the State salary structure to encourage them to use their Pulpit and the Minbar to re-orientate citizenry to shun corruption and immorality.
Clarifying his statement, the Commissioner said: “I must have been misunderstood or misquoted. We were at a forum where we were trying to encourage religious leaders to be advocates against corruption because religious leaders have millions of adherents and they enjoy the allegiance of millions of followers and we expect them to use the Pulpit and the Minbar to advocate for good governance and selflessness so that they can influence their members positively.
“In Lagos State, one of the remarkable successes of the present administration is that we have cutting-edge approaches to relating with religious leaders and that is why Lagos remains the most peaceful and most religious crisis-free State in the federation inspite of our cosmopolitan nature.”
Already, the Commissioner said a structured approach had been put in place to relate with religious leaders in the State through the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) which consists of people nominated by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Muslim Community across the 57 Local Councils in the State.
According to him, “We have them at the State level; they meet regularly in the Home Affairs and instead of leaving them as dysfunctional silos, we ensure that there is an integrated approach.
“They meet regularly to interact on religious issues and the Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode has even further decentralized that whereby over 700 of them were appointed based on their nominations and they are volunteers who are not paid anything. They come together to nip religious crisis at the bud,” he said.
He added that the general approach of the State Government to religion was that of rule of law, good governance, constitutional democracy and more than anything, the observance and preservation of the fundamental human rights of Lagosians to freely practice their religion.
“Section 38 of the Constitution is very clear and explicit that every person is entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion including the freedom to change your religion and the freedom to either alone or in community with others practice, manifest and propagate your religion. Clearly, that is unequivocally telling you that religion is a private affair as far as the Lagos State Government is concerned,” Mr Abdulhakeem said.
Responding to a question on why the State Government was yet to implement a Court of Appeal judgment on the use of Hijab by school girls, Abdulhakeem said being a government which firmly believes in rule of law, the State Government was awaiting the pronouncement of the Supreme Court on the matter which, he said, was already before the apex court.
On taxes, the Commissioner said though religious institutions were exempted according to the State laws, but any religious body which engages in commercial activities was liable to pay tax.
“Religious institutions are not taxable under the Lagos laws but where religious institutions engage in business transactions like schools and so on, then such are liable to pay taxes but as far as the institution is concerned, it is exempted from paying tax.
“Also, those who convert their buildings into Mosque to avoid paying taxes, we have made it abundantly clear that you are not allowed to convert residential premises into religious centres. So, people should just respect God the way the Lagos State Government has respected God and do not come under that arena to avoid payment of taxes,” he said.
Besides, the Commissioner said the State Government had already embarked on massive enlightenment and re-orientation against noise pollution by religious leaders, but any resident who is affected by such should however report either through the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) or the Ministry of Home Affairs for action.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A hotline number, 0800 123 5264, for Nigerians to report any MRS Oil Nigeria Plc filling stations selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, above the approved pump price of N739 per litre, has been released by Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The private refiner said the number was now active nationwide, enabling consumers to promptly report violations and help maintain fair pricing across over 2,000 MRS stations.
This measure follows the refinery’s recent commencement of nationwide PMS sales at N739 per litre—a strategic intervention aimed at stabilising fuel prices and easing the financial burden on Nigerians during the festive season.
“We encourage Nigerians to avoid purchasing PMS at inflated prices when locally refined fuel is available at N739 per litre.
“Report any MRS station selling above this price by calling our hotline. Together, we can ensure that the benefits of this price reduction reach every consumer,” the company stated in a statement.
The organisation stressed its mission to deliver affordable, high-quality fuel while safeguarding national economic interests, reaffirming its commitment to steady supply, backed by a guaranteed daily output of 50 million litres, and warned against attempts to create artificial scarcity or manipulate supply.
Regulatory authorities have been urged to remain vigilant and take decisive action against unpatriotic practices.
By refining locally at scale, Dangote Refinery is reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imports, conserving foreign exchange, stabilising the Naira, and strengthening energy security. This initiative represents a significant milestone in the country’s journey toward sustainable energy solutions and economic recovery.
The refinery also issued a stern warning against attempts by unscrupulous operators to create artificial scarcity in response to the price reduction, calling on government agencies to act decisively.
“Any attempt to create artificial scarcity or manipulate supply to frustrate recent price reductions is unpatriotic and unacceptable. We urge regulatory authorities to remain vigilant and take firm action against such practices, especially during this critical festive period,” the statement added.
Consumers were advised to resist purchasing fuel at inflated prices when cheaper, high-quality alternatives are readily available.
By Bon Peters
The Airport Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) at Omagwa Rivers State has praised the Customs Area Controller for Customs Area 1 Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku.
At the end-of-the-year party attended by stakeholders, including the leader of the association’s chapter, Mr Charles Onyema, said the customs officer has done well in stakeholder engagement and trade facilitation.
At the event held last Friday, he said his association has been enjoying a very cordial relationship with other organisation in the ecosystem.
“You can see what is happening today, everybody is working together and our operations here are seamless,” he noted.
He stated that apart from creating a very robust business environment for his members and other stakeholders to operate, he has taken a decision to build and commission a befitting ANLCA Secretariat which would be completed soon and be commissioned by the ANLCA national president, Mr Emenike Nwokeoji.
The ANLCA chapter chief said since “Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku assumed office at Customs Area 1, Port Harcourt Command, it has been a different ball game, facilitating trade and increasing Revenue generation.”
“I remember I told her she was a mother during her maiden visit to the airport.
“You know when you have a woman in charge of an affair, food will not lack, compassion will not lack and motherly love will not lack.
“She is very wonderful in stakeholder engagement, revenue generation and trade facilitation,” Mr Onyema enthused.
Projecting into the future, Mr. Onyema said the year 2026 would be better for his members, adding that he has advised them on financial discipline which he said would help them during the trying period.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has declared Thursday, December 25, and Friday, December 26, 2025, as public holidays to mark Christmas and Boxing Day respectively.
The government also declared Thursday, January 1, 2026, for the New Year celebration.
The declaration was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mrs Magdalene Ajani, on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
According to the statement, the Minister urged Nigerians to reflect on the values of love, peace, humility and sacrifice associated with the birth of Jesus Christ.
Mr Tunji-Ojo also called on citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity, to use the festive season to pray for peace, improved security and national progress.
He further advised Nigerians to remain law-abiding and security-conscious during the celebrations, while wishing them a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Business Post reports that on these public holidays – the foreign exchange market, the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), as well as the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange will not open to trade.
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