FIRS Partners Police Against Multiple Taxes By Touts

The Federal Inland Revenue Service has disclosed plans to collaborate with security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police, to deal with illegal tax collection by touts in markets.

Executive Chairman, FIRS, Muhammad Nami, made this known when he met with the association of market traders, saying  the Service would collaborate with security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police, to deal with illegal tax collection by touts in markets.

He said the move is targeted at mobilisation of tax revenue from the informal sector.

“One important area of our collaboration is the issue of providing adequate security in the markets. We are aware of the challenges that you have faced in the past with miscreants, self-imposed tax collection agents, and touts.

“I want to assure you that as part of this initiative, we will be collaborating with the relevant security agencies particularly the Nigeria Police Force to tackle all forms of touting and illegal tax collection by miscreants and keep them away from your markets,” Mr Nami stated.

The market association which has a membership of well over 40 million traders across the country’s 774 local governments, and 36 States plus the Federal Capital Territory is the biggest player in Nigeria’s market space.

The details of the partnership were disclosed yesterday at a stakeholders’ engagement programme on the VAT DIRECT initiative on the FIRS, held in Lagos State, a statement by the tax watchdog said. The statement said the partnership will see the FIRS collaborating with the association to deploy technology to enumerate traders for collecting and remitting VAT.