Kwara IRS Refutes Claims of Ethnic Bias in Tax Policies

The Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) has strongly denied recent allegations of discriminatory tax practices against Igbo traders, as reported by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).

According to KW-IRS, these allegations are baseless, malicious, and aimed at sowing seed of discord.

In a statement released on Saturday in Ilorin and signed by Funmilola Oguntunbi, head of KW-IRS’s Corporate Affairs Department, the agency criticized the ICIR report as misleading and a misrepresentation of the facts.

The KW-IRS attributed the controversy to a legal dispute with the Kwara State Igbo Traders Association (KWAITA), which had sued the agency on July 12, 2024, over similar issues.

The KW-IRS views the report as an attempt to damage its reputation.

The KW-IRS clarified that there has been no directive from the Kwara State Governor to discriminate against individuals based on ethnicity or religion.

Recent enforcement actions targeted six taxpayers—three Igbo and three Yoruba traders—indicating no specific ethnic group was singled out.

The affected businesses include:

Igbo Traders,

Electrical appliances store at 154 Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin.
Boutique at 12 Taiwo Isale, Ilorin.
Auto parts dealer on Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin.

Yoruba Traders:

Phone accessories dealer at 60 Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin.
Retail outlet at 147 Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin.
Educational services at 278 Upper Taiwo Road, Ilorin.
KW-IRS reaffirmed its commitment to a non-discriminatory policy in accordance with the Personal Income Tax Act, 2011, and emphasized that tax assessments are not influenced by any associations.

The agency has called on ICIR and other involved parties to refrain from sensationalizing ongoing legal issues and to avoid manipulating public opinion on matters under judicial review.

============