A staff of Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, (KGIRS) identified as Mohammed Dahiru has been allegedly accused of diverting revenue meant for the state government to his personal account.
The alleged fraud was revealed in a radio program sponsored by Wadata Media and Advocacy center , (WAMAC) and aired on a private radio station Grace FM in Kogi State which was monitored by our correspondent in Lokoja.
It was gathered that, the Chief Executive Officer, Health Care Essential Water factory Eunice Tolufashe located in Ogori Magongo Area of Kogi State had raised an alarm allegedly accusing Mohammed Dahiru of extorting the company in the name of revenue collection which is said to be paid to his personal bank account and not the State Government.
Explaining how the accused and his team have been carrying out this alleged sharp practices, Tolufashe said “When the revenue people come to the company, they acknowledged that we have paid our tax. When we asked why are they here, they said there is increase in the taxation so they are here to collect the remaining balance. We asked them how much are we talking about?
“They said N13,000 but later increase it to N45,000. They insisted that we are going to pay cash which we disagree. I insist that they should give us a Government account to pay the money but they said no. So, those KGIRS team that came gave us their boss account which is Mohammed Dahiru. We insisted that, before we will pay, there must be a telephone number which we can contact to know that it is genuine.
“This is how they normally come to collect money from the company. My manager went to KGIRS office in Okene to pay and the person on ground was shocked that this is the first time Ogori people have come to pay tax. Meaning that all those money we have been paying has been going to this person private pocket, (Mohammed Dahiru) and is not being remitted to the Government account”.
Some traders who spoke to the media organization also admitted that the KGIRS team led by Dahiru have been collecting revenue from them in Ogori Magongo without issuing receipt.
One of the trader said” When ever they come, they will tell us to pay our tax without giving us receipt. We have been asking them questions where is this money going to. With what we are seeing, it is not going to the Government but their private account. Recently, I told them that, if I am told to pay tax and they fail to give me receipt, I won’t pay.
“There was a time I insist I won’t give them money. They locked my shop. We have all resolved as traders in Ogori that if they fail to give us Government account or bring their POS, we won’t give them money for tax.
An hair stylist identified as Victoria also narrated her ordeal with the staffs of KGIRS. According to her” there was a time they locked five of my apprentice inside the shop because I was unable to pay them. There was several battles between me and them before people around me gathered money to pay them N3,500 before my shop was reopened”.
In a chat with some management staff of KGIRS, they disclosed that revenue for the State is not expected to be paid to a private account.
The Director Administration KGIRS Abubakar Mohammed Bello asserted that the management has began investigation on the matter.
“We are taking them out one by one. We are poised to actually dissolve it because without stepping out this anomalies we wont get the desired result we expected. We have designated KGIRS account that has been published. It is online. At no point are tax payers expected to pay money to private account. The management has resolved that there is no cash payment.
“You just have to do it directly to Government KGIRS account. Any staff that is caught wanting, we are going to deal with that person administratively. The staff involved, we are going to take action against him. Now that all fingers are pointing at him, the evidences are out there, the management is going to take a decision on him as the law allows. I can assure the general public that he will be shown the way out because it is a no no to KGIRS. When you are found wanting, you will be shown the way out”
Corroborating his position, the Chairman of KGIRS Sule Salihu Enehe vowed to prosecute any one who intends to defraud the State through tax collection.
“If we catch anyone trying to defraud the State, they will go through disciplinary measures and such person will be shown the exit door” he added.
When contacted the accused Mohammed Dahiru, he told our correspondent on Monday afternoon that the management of KGIRS is investigating the matter.
“I have been briefed. The management is already investigating it. An officer has been asked to accompanied me to get my statement of account. Am in the bank now so I won’t be able to answer you. It has already gone on air without fear hearing. Let them do their job and get back to me.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State NGO’s Network, (KONGONET) has condemned the alleged sharp practices by some staff of KGIRS.
The Chairperson of KONGONET Amb. Idris Ozovehe Muraina who spoke during an interview on Monday described the act as corruption, stressing that , it won’t allow Government do the needful for the people of Kogi State.
According to him, “The engagement Civil Societies have had with KGIRS and what we know as they have transited from manual collection to automated system, we are sure that, whoever goes out there to do pocket collection, should be investigated. If such person is found guilty, he should be arrested and prosecuted. We are very optimistic that we are going to get justice for those tax payers who has been wrongfully defrauded”.
