Kwara revenue collection agency denies discrimination against Igbo traders
By Dele Moses, Ilorin
Kwara State Inland Revenue Service (KW-IRS) has denied victimising or discriminating against Igbo traders in Ilorin in the collection of taxes.
The KW-IRS made the denial while reacting to an on-line publication which it said insinuated that the state government and the revenue collection agency were victimising the Igbo traders in tax collections.
The agency, in a statement, said that contrary to the allegations contained in the publication, there was no time the state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, directed it to victimise anybody on the basis of their ethnicity, religion or other personal social identity.
The KW-IRS in the statement signed by head of its corporate affairs, Funmilola Oguntunbi, said it adopted non-discriminatory policy on prohibition of associations on assessment and collection of personal income tax in compliance with the relevant provisions of the federal law.
The statement reads in part: “In response to the deliberate misinformation, we clarify as follows:
“Contrary to the unfounded allegation contained in the publication, at no time did the Governor of Kwara State explicitly or impliedly direct the Service to victimise or act in a particular way towards anyone on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, or other personal social identity.
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“The execution of judgements was effected on six (6) judgement debtors / taxpayers. Three of them are Igbo traders, while the remaining three are Yoruba traders. For the record, the businesses affected are:
For the Igbo traders/ judgment debtors:
“Electrical appliances with business address at 154 Ibrahim Taiwo Road opp stadium gate, Ilorin.
“Boutique dealers with a business address at 12,Taiwo Isale Ilorin, opposite Gada Market.
“Dealer in Auto mobile spare parts at Ibrahim Taiwo Road Adjacent Lapariah Tech owoniboys building, Ilorin.
For the three (3)Yoruba traders/judgment debtors:
“Dealer in phone accessories with business address at 60, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, opposite Methodist church Taiwo Isale, Ilorin.
“Trading at 147, beside GTB PLC, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin.
“Educational Services, at 278 upper Taiwo Road beside Mama ifeoma Store.
“We have made these disclosures as a matter of probity to give the lie to the wicked claims that any specific individuals are being targeted.
“The Service has adopted a non-discriminatory policy on prohibition of Associations on assessment and collection of personal income tax in compliance with relevant provisions of the federal law which is the Personal Income Tax Act, 2011 (as amended).”
The agency advised those behind the publication to refrain from unnecessarily heating up the polity.