According to news report from Daily Post, the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) has refuted allegations of discriminatory tax policies made by Igbo traders in Ilorin, the state capital.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Funmilola Oguntobi, Head of the Corporate Affairs Unit of KWIRS, addressed the false, malicious, and inciting claims published by the online medium International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) on July 31, 2024. The agency vehemently denied any discrimination in its tax practices.

The statement read in part: “We are tempted to believe that this false narrative was at the instance of some members of the Kwara State Igbo Traders Association (KWAITA), which has recently instituted a legal action against the Service on 12th July, 2024, on the same subject matter before the Kwara State High Court in suit KWS/308/24 – Nwankwo Sylvester & 90 ORS Vs Kwara State Internal Revenue Service & 2 ORS. This action of twisting the facts through a media publication is, therefore, in bad faith.

The Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, KWIRS, has debunked the allegation of discriminatory tax policies levelled against it by Igbo traders in Ilorin, the state capital.

A statement by Funmilola Oguntobi, Head of Corporate Affairs Unit of the agency, in Ilorin on Saturday, reacted to the false, malicious and inciting publication by the online medium, International Centre for Investigate Reporting, ICIR, published on July 31, 2024.

The statement read in part: “We are tempted to believe that this false narrative was at the instance of some members of the Kwara State Igbo Traders Association (KWAITA), which has recently instituted a legal action against the Service on 12th July, 2024, on the same subject matter before the Kwara State High Court in suit KWS/308/24 – Nwankwo Sylvester & 90 ORS Vs Kwara State Internal Revenue Service & 2 ORS. This action of twisting the facts through a media publication is, therefore, in bad faith.

“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.

“The execution of judgements was effected on six judgement debtors and 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 judgement debtors: an electrical appliances store with business address at No. 154 Ibrahim Taiwo Road, opp. Stadium Gate, Ilorin; a boutique dealer with a business address at No. 12, Taiwo Isale Ilorin, opposite Gada Market, and a dealer in automobile spare parts at Ibrahim Taiwo Road, adjacent Lapariah Tech, Owoniboys Building, Ilorin.”

The statement disclosed that the three Yoruba judgement debtors are a dealer in phone accessories with a business address at No. 60, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, opposite Methodist Church, Taiwo Isale, Ilorin; a trader at No. 147, beside GTB Plc, Ibrahim Taiwo Road; and a business rendering educational services at No. 278 Upper Taiwo Road, beside Mama From 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 Service will not join issues with the publisher and cohort over issues that are already pending for adjudication before a court of competent jurisdiction, as doing so will be subjudice.

“Against this background, and as a reputable agency that firmly believes in the principles of the rule of law and judicial process, we would not allow anyone to drag the service’s hard-earned reputation in the mud.

“In conclusion, we advise ICIR and those behind the unpatriotic publication to refrain from heating up the polity by subjecting matters already before a competent court to a court of public opinion, where players sometimes intentionally choose which facts to state and which facts to suppress in the pursuit of their agenda. We urge the platform to refrain from interfering with the constitutional powers and functions of the court,” the KWIRS statement added.