Arewa Think Tank Defends NRS Chairman Amid Allegations

The Arewa Think Tank has alleged a campaign aimed at discrediting Zacch Adedeji, the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), and undermining the revenue reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, the convener of the group, reacted to online reports accusing Adedeji and the NRS of being involved in the alleged transfer of $279 million from the Frontier Exploration Fund to unnamed accounts.

Yakubu labeled these allegations as unsubstantiated and cautioned Nigerians against accepting social media claims as facts. He noted that such controversies reflect a growing pattern of attacks against officials implementing reforms under the Tinubu administration.

Adedeji has denied the allegations, calling the report “pure fake news” aimed at damaging his reputation and that of the NRS. Yakubu emphasized the importance of legitimate scrutiny based on evidence and stated that any genuine concerns regarding public funds should be directed to the appropriate authorities for investigation.

He also highlighted that the Frontier Exploration Fund was established under the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, to finance exploration activities in various basins.