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Outdated, embarrassing, group knocks NCAA over ban on airplane mode

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The Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development has faulted the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority over its recent directive mandating passengers to switch off their mobile phones completely during take-off and landing, instead of using “airplane mode.”

The Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, had on Tuesday, at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, announced that electronic devices must now be turned off entirely during flights, a move that effectively ends the long-standing practice of using “flight mode.”

Reacting in a statement on Wednesday signed by its Country Head of Office, Akingunola Omoniyi, NEFGAD described the directive as “a source of serious international embarrassment to Nigeria.”

The organisation said the move by the NCAA is an attempt to cover up “its regulatory ineptitude, which have created multiple embarrassments for the country in recent times.”

It said, “The NCAA’s recent directive mandating all air passengers to completely switch off their mobile phones during flight take-off and landing is outdated and out of fashion.”

The group argued that the aviation sector has advanced far beyond the NCAA’s position, noting that modern aircraft are built to withstand interference from personal devices and even provide in-flight Wi-Fi.

“The NCAA seems to have forgotten that the aviation sector has advanced far beyond its current operational scope.

“Modern aircraft in today’s world, including Emirates, Lufthansa, Air France, Delta, British Airways, and Qatar Airways, all offer free Wi-Fi services for passengers in the air and during all stages of flight operations,” Akingunola said.

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NEFGAD further warned that the directive portrays Nigeria’s airspace as being dominated by outdated aircraft.

“The NCAA directive has clearly shown the outside world that Nigeria’s airspace is dominated by obsolete planes manufactured before the year 2000 — aircraft over 25 years old. It is doubtful if any serious-minded investor will risk his life flying in a country whose airspace is largely dominated by such outdated aircraft,” the statement read.

The group also accused the NCAA of neglecting more pressing issues in the sector, including reforms on aircraft technology standards, passenger codes of conduct, consumer protection guidelines, and aviation security management.

“This is not the era of regulatory grandstanding, but technological innovation and competitiveness. NCAA has no excuse other than to wake up from its regulatory trance and bring real innovation to our airspace by benchmarking Nigerian airlines’ technology against ICAO-compliant international standards, and make Nigerians more comfortable with full in-flight experiences as obtainable anywhere else in the world,” Akingunola stressed.

NEFGAD disclosed it has petitioned the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion to verify the technology status of Nigerian airlines, warning that the NCAA’s stance could send “dangerous signals to the international community about the state of Nigeria’s airspace.”

It also lamented that Nigerians pay some of the highest airfares for both domestic and international flights, yet continue to endure poor in-flight experiences due to outdated aircraft.

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Doris Ogala Reportedly Arrested After Calling Out Pastor Chris Okafor

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Nollywood actress, Doris Ogala, has been reportedly arrested following a heated online dispute linked to her recent allegations against a Lagos-based pastor, Chris Okafor.

It was reports that the arrest occurred on Saturday, December 20, 2025, during a live video session in which Ogala was speaking with an online personality.

While the livestream was ongoing, she confirmed that police officers were present inside her home.

She was also heard scolding a woman identified as Charity for allowing people into the house despite earlier warnings.

The interviewer advised her to keep her phone active and asked whether the officers had a warrant.

Shortly after the incident, comedian and former Big Brother Naija housemate Dee One announced on Instagram that Ogala had been arrested.

He stated that he had earlier cautioned the actress and added that she would now have to answer questions in court over the matter.

The situation followed a social media post by Ogala, in which she shared an image allegedly showing the cleric in a private setting.

In the post, she accused him of deceit and claimed she had video evidence to back her claims.

The controversy gained more attention after the pastor recently married a woman identified as Pearl earlier in the week.

The wedding reportedly went ahead despite Ogala’s online accusations, which included claims of betrayal, emotional manipulation and a broken promise of marriage after what she described as a long-term relationship.

Over the past few days, Ogala had shared emotional videos online in which she accused the cleric of damaging her life.

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She claimed the relationship began around 2017 and alleged that she ended her previous marriage at his request, only to be left distressed after the relationship suddenly ended.

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Bandits Do Not Represent Any Religion, They Are Common Criminals – Tambuwal

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Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has stated that terrorists in the country do not represent any religious group.

Addressing newsmen on Saturday in Sokoto, he stated that bandits are common criminals who merely seek available targets to attack.

He warned political leaders and the international community against politicising the country’s worsening insecurity.

Tambuwal described the recent designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern by United States President Donald Trump as quite unfortunate.

He insisted that the designation does not reflect the true nature and complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges.

“I would like to believe that President Trump and the American government did not fully grasp or appreciate the Nigerian situation. What we are facing is not a religious crisis but a security crisis affecting Nigerians of all faiths and backgrounds.

“These marauders do not represent any religion. How else can one explain what they are doing in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and other states? They are common criminals, attacking every soul they come across.

“You can’t even go to the mosque or the church safely. So this is not about a particular section of the country or a particular religion. It is about Nigeria,” he said.

The former governor aligned himself with the Vatican’s position on Nigeria, noting that the Pope had rightly acknowledged that Nigerians, Christians and Muslims alike, are victims of widespread insecurity.

He emphasised that insecurity has become a national issue that transcends politics, ethnicity, and religion, insisting that collective action is urgently needed.

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He called on the United States and other global partners to reconsider their stance and instead support the administration of President Bola Tinubu in addressing the crisis.

“It’s not about Bola Tinubu as a person. It’s not about APC or party politics. It’s about our country. Any country, America, France, the UK, Canada, that can support Nigeria to overcome insecurity should please do so,” the former governor added.

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Alleged Alterations: No Amount Of Opposition Pushback Will Stop Implementation Of Tax Law – Presidency

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The presidency said no amount of opposition pushback would stop the implementation of the laws in January, while dismissing claims that it secretly altered some provisions of the newly enacted tax reform laws.

It was reports that the tax reform laws, which faced stiff opposition from federal lawmakers from the northern part of the country before their passage, are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.

President Bola Tinubu signed the four tax reform bills into law, marking what the government has described as the most significant overhaul of the country’s tax system in decades.

According to the Federal Government, the reforms are designed to simplify tax compliance, expand the tax base, eliminate overlapping taxes, and modernise revenue collection across federal, state, and local governments.

However, the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and several civil society organisations have called for the suspension of the implementation of the laws.

The call follows alleged discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions gazetted and released to the public, raised by a member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki.

Dasuki, who made the allegations during plenary, insisted that the content of the gazetted tax laws did not reflect what members debated, voted on, and passed, warning that, if not addressed, the alleged alterations could render the new tax laws legally vulnerable because they lacked legislative approval.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker further urged the speaker to ensure that all relevant documents, including the harmonised versions, votes, and proceedings of both chambers, were brought before the Committee of the Whole for scrutiny by all members.

See also  Land dispute turns deadly in Ghana, 31 killed, 48,000 displaced

In response to the opposition outrage, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, in an interview with Punch, insisted that there was no evidence that the laws had been altered.

While describing the criticisms as opposition noise, aimed at creating controversy around government policy, Ajayi argued that allegations that the tax documents were altered had not been established by any constituted authority.

According to him, the tax laws were enacted through due process and would take full effect from January 1, 2026, with relevant government agencies already mobilised to ensure smooth implementation.

He stressed that the implementation committee had been working for the past six months and would not be distracted by what he described as attempts to undermine the policy.

He said, “Opposition elements can say whatever they want, even when it is very obvious to every rational person that all they seek to do every time is to pollute the waters and create a toxic environment around policy issues.”

Ajayi noted that the House of Representatives had already established a committee to examine the allegations, led by the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, James Faleke.

According to him, the appropriate course of action is to allow the committee to carry out its assignment and present its findings.

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