The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) has warned people about fake tax collectors and the need to be cautious. Mr Jery Adams, Executive Chairman of KADIRS, stated this during a news conference in Kaduna on Friday.
He stated that certain people and organisations operating in several key areas throughout the state caught the notice of the service.
According to Adams, the organisations and people were asserting that KADIRS had given them the authority to levy, collect taxes, and impose fines.
He characterised them as criminals who had banded together as a planned cartel to commit crimes and con unsuspecting members of the public. He claims that neither the persons nor the groups are associated with KADIRS, nor has the service authorised any group or anyone to operate on its behalf outside of its official channels. “We urge everyone who lives here to exercise caution and avoid interacting with these phonies,” he declared.
As it had already started to apprehend some of individuals involved, the KADIRS chief declared that the service was totally dedicated to putting an end to the threat.
In the absence of sufficient identity and authentication, he advised the public to report any questionable activity or anyone purporting to represent the agency. According to Adams, the agency also discovered that, with the complicity of certain employees, phoney license plates and tax clearance certificates were being circulated throughout the state.
“This criminal behaviour not only defrauds the state, but it also destroys the trust that the decent people of Kaduna have in our institution.
“We are taking stringent measures to identify and deal with any staff and their cohorts involved in these illegal activities,” Adams informed us.
He reassured the public that any employees or anybody found to be assisting criminals or engaging in fraudulent operations will face the full force of the law.
“No payments should be made to any private accounts or people.”All official payments are to be made only through approved KADIRS channels, such as designated banks or our official digital platforms,” said the administrator.
He gave all citizens peace of mind, assuring them that the service would always strive to uphold the greatest levels of accountability, transparency, and honesty. The head of KADIRS asked taxpayers to make sure that all applications and payments for tax clearance went through the appropriate procedures.
In Essence
The warning is a proactive measure to prevent unsuspecting citizens from falling victim to scammers posing as tax collectors. By alerting the public to the existence of these fraudulent individuals and organizations, KADIRS is helping to protect their financial interests.
These fraudulent activities can erode public trust in the government and its institutions. By taking action against these scammers, KADIRS is working to maintain the public’s confidence in the tax system.