BIRS read riot acts to tax consultants

The Benue State Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) has read riot acts to tax and revenue consultancy firms in its employ.

Chairman of the board, Mrs. Mimi Adzape-Orubibi, who read the riot acts in Makurdi during a meeting with the tax consultants and officials of National Association of Nigerian Fruit sellers, said it was not going to be business as usual for those cutting corners.

She warned tax consultants who are aiding and abating illegal revenue collectors across the state to harass unsuspecting members of the public by extorting monies above the approved amount to desist or have their contracts terminated.

“Any consultant that does not play by the rules of the board would have their contracts terminated if caught,” she said.

Orubibi added that it was worrisome that illegal revenue and tax collectors have mounted so many illegal check points across the state other than the approved 11 check points, thereby forcing the fruit sellers as well as other produce buyers to part with as much as N80, 000 instead of the stipulated total of N18, 750 levies charge per lorry load.

While expressing confidence that the board would get justice over the 86 illegal tax collectors already charged to court, she disclosed that tougher measure to check the excesses of consultants and illegal collectors were in the offing to rid the system of fakers who are sabotaging the government.

She therefore urged the Fruit sellers association to educate their members not to pay any illegal tariff imposed on them by resisting the illegal tax collectors and calling the telephone hotlines of the board for immediate action.