A planned protest against Nigeria’s new tax laws, scheduled for January 20, 2026, has been thrown into disarray following allegations that members of the movement were bribed with N300 million.

A faction of the group accused the leadership of attempting to exploit the protest to incite unrest and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the matter.

The faction, led by Mustapha Abdulahi, announced its withdrawal from the protest and urged security agencies to arrest the organisers to prevent potential breakdowns of law and order.

“We have broken away from the group planning to stage a protest against the Tax Reform laws on January 20, 2026, following the commencement of their implementation on January 1, 2026. Our decision is based on serious concerns,” Abdulahi said in a statement.

He alleged that some members of the main group had been misled and received a bribe totalling N300 million. “On this, we call on the EFCC to investigate the matter,” he added.

Abdulahi also accused the leadership of the protest of being sponsored by the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), claiming the party aims to create public disorder and possibly trigger regime change.

“We have it on good authority that the ADC, having faced the reality of making no significant impact in the 2027 general election, sees this as an opportunity to create anarchy which would possibly lead to a regime change,” he said. “On this note, we call on security agencies to arrest and prosecute the leader of the movement and his wingmen.”

The faction initially supported the protest, which aimed to persuade the government to reconsider the new tax laws, particularly in view of the economic hardships faced by many Nigerians. However, Abdulahi said the movement had been hijacked for political and financial gain.

“Our withdrawal from the protest is a call for unity, maturity and patriotism. Nigeria’s economic recovery requires collective sacrifice and responsible civic action,” he said, reiterating his call for the EFCC and security agencies to investigate and prosecute those involved.

The cancellation of the protest marks a significant rift within the anti-tax movement and raises questions about the integrity and motivations behind the planned demonstrations. (The Guardian)

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