35 Illegal Tax Collectors Will Suffer Prosecution, Says Benue IRS

Acting Chairman of Benue State Internal Revenue Service, Emmanuel Agena, said 35 people who engage in illegal tax collectors in the state will be facing prosecution.

He stated that the agency was targeting to generate over N16bn in 2024.

This was disclosed by the BIRS acting boss, on Monday while speaking with journalists, noted that in 2023 the board surpassed its N14bn target.

Agena worried over the activities of illegal tax collectors in the state, adding that most of them had the backing of prominent individuals.

The BIRS boss lamented the recent incident where a truck conveying palliatives from Adamawa to Anambra State was hijacked by some youths in Aliade, Gwer East.

According to him, “A truck was intercepted and the driver beaten while the windscreen of the vehicle broken and over N200,000 was stolen. Three persons have been arrested and are in police custody. They will be moved to DSS for thorough. investigation.

“We aim to flush out or reduce illegal tax collectors to the barest minimum. Already, 35 people who engaged in illegal tax collectors were arrested and facing prosecution.

“This has been a big challenge. We have constituted a team headed by the director of Tax collection. Prominent people in the state are involved in encouraging these boys.”

The BIRS boss noted that the agency planned to recover over N5.6bn from ground rent, adding that it was liaising with the state’s Ministry of Land in that regard.

He said, “We also, engaged the service of Softnet, an ICT company to aid us collect revenue. They are paid a commission. The company have engaged over 250 staff, who have been trained and given Point on Sale to collect revenue.

“Taxation is about confidence. Our work now is easy because taxpayers are willing to pay because the people are seeing what the government is doing."