Security consultant, Charles Omole, has criticised the Federal Government for allegedly failing to conduct a comprehensive security impact assessment before implementing Nigeria’s new tax laws.
Speaking on Friday during The Platform, an annual Democracy Day programme, Omole warned that the security consequences of the reforms could begin to surface by January 2027.
President Bola Tinubu signed four major Tax Reform Bills into law on June 26, 2025. The legislations include the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA), the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), the Nigeria Revenue Service Act (NRSA), and the Joint Revenue Board Act (JRBA).
According to Omole, the government appears not to have adequately considered the potential security implications of the new tax regime.
“I have not seen any sign that the government has done any security impact assessment of those tax policies. Mark what I’m saying now: by January next year you will begin to see the security impact,” he stated.
The security expert argued that as implementation intensifies, more Nigerians may resort to keeping cash outside the banking system, a development he believes could fuel criminal activities.
“Right now, because the enforcement of the new tax regime has been light-touch, Nigerians are not reacting yet. Wait till January. I earlier said one consequence of the new tax policy is that Nigerians will begin to hold cash at home, not in their bank accounts. And if a lot more people hold cash at home, what does that mean? More robberies. So what have we put in place to pre-empt that impact?” he asked.
Omole stressed that national security should be viewed beyond the activities of security agencies, describing it as a governance issue that cuts across all sectors of government.
He noted that poor policies in key areas such as land administration, education, urban planning, economic management, and justice delivery could create conditions that breed insecurity.
“Bad land policy can create conflict, bad education policy can produce and recruit extremists, bad urban planning can create ungoverned spaces, bad economic policy can turn desperation into violence. Bad justice delivery can turn victims into vigilantes,” he said.
He further urged government institutions to adopt a whole-of-government approach to security, insisting that safeguarding the nation is a responsibility that extends beyond law enforcement agencies.
“Security is the duty of every department of government, but that has not been the case in our country,” Omole added.
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