IGR: Company petitions Nwifuru over alleged conspiracy, kidnaping, illegal revenue collection by Ezza South LG boss, Nwali

….. ignore him, he is just an illegal tax collector, going about and extorting people – Mrs. Nwali replies

By, Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

A company on the aegis of Anointed Supreme Allied Ltd on Thursday urged governor, Francis Nwifuru to order the council chairman of Ezza South LGA, Mrs. Euphemia Nwali to stop the alleged illegal revenue collection at the Eke Imoha Market.

The director of the said company, Joel Ejimofor David, in a petition submitted to the governor, whose copy was obtained by The Nations News Nigeria, accused the Ezza South LGA chairman of conspiracy, using thugs to allegedly robbed and kidnapped his workers who came to collect tolls at Eke Imoha Market, after being authorized by the Ebonyi State Internal Revenue Service. 

Ejimofor, said that his company bided for the following revenue points; Produce, Haulage, Veterinary, Environmental Fees and Park Tolls in Eke Imoha Market, for the sum of N1,124,000 only monthly and won the bid against other rivals including Zeenok Agro International Ltd company owned by the council chairman, Euphemia Nwali who bided the sum of #330,000 for the same revenue points.

He lamented that the council chairman, Nwali allegedly used thugs to “kidnap, rob and prevent our company from carrying out its legal duty at the revenue points at Eke Imoha Market’, adding that the worse still, is that the council Chairman had threatened his life or any other members of the company who comes close to the revenue points. 

It was gathered that the Ebonyi State House of Assembly committee on public petition, justice and judiciary led by Chikodiri Nomeh, had summoned the council chairman, Nwali to appear before them, answer for the alleged illegal revenue collection, and after which, gave verdict in favour of Anointed Supreme Allied Ltd, yet the Zeenok Agro International Ltd company owned by the council chairman, has continued to illegally collect revenues from the various points at Eke Imoha Market, wherein Anointed Supreme Allied Ltd had paid for.

Ejimofor, however blamed the chairman of Ebonyi State board of internal revenue and the secretary of failing to take any action on the issue, adding that his company was subjected to huge pains and loss from March 2024 till date, by the council chairman, nwali.

According to him “we went to the revenue point with the view to commence collection of the revenue, but to our greatest surprise Ezza South Local Government Area Chairman Euphemia Nneka Nwali and her company Zeenok Agro International Ltd mobilized thugs who she led and attacked us and left us with various degrees of severe injuries.

“They robbed us of our money and phone; stopped us from collecting the revenue which we paid for and she went ahead and started collecting the revenue since the Month of May 2024 till date without paying or remitting to the account of Ebonyi State Internal Revenue Service.

He noted further that: “In a bid to make her threat a reality, on 12-12-2024 she led her thugs to Eke Imoha Market who ‘allegedly’ Kidnapped, Robbed and Attempted to Murder three of our company’s agents. However, through the order of Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police our agents were rescued” he stated.

Ejimofor, however called for the immediate intervention of governor, Francis Nwifuru, to direct the Ezza South LGA boss, Nwali and her company Zeenok Agro International Ltd and her agents to ‘hands off the said revenue points we paid for since the Month of May 2024, to enable us recover our money’.

“With humility, we appeal to the governor to direct the Ezza South Local Government Area Chairman, Euphemia Nwali to return to us in full all they have robbed us since the Month of May 2024 till date and pay all the Hospital bills for the injuries her thugs caused our agents.

“To direct the chairman and her company to render public apologies to Anointed Supreme Allied Ltd and her agents in national newspapers and local newspapers circulating in Ebonyi State.

“To direct the management of Ebonyi State Internal Revenue Service to uphold the doctrine of the highest bidder shall be the winner to avoid recurrence of the same case again.

“To direct the Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Internal Revenue Services to comply with the resolution of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly on this issue forthwith” he stated.

In a swift reaction, the council chairman of Ezza South LGA, Mrs. Euphemia Nwali who spoke to The Nations News Nigeria on phone, said: “what he is saying is not true, he is just a tax collector that is going up and down and extorting people. Have you ever heard that I beat somebody? If something like that happened, you will hear it now. 

“I don’t have thugs and I didn’t send any thugs to attack him. You can verify that I don’t have thugs. Also, I didn’t send anyone to beat anybody. I don’t also collect revenue from the market as he mentioned. We have a revenue board whose duty is to collect revenue. 

“I didn’t stop him from collecting revenue as he claimed. I don’t even have any company that I’m using to collect revenue. As far, he has authorized paper from the Ebonyi State revenue board service, no one will stop him from collecting revenue from the place he mentioned. 

“Where did you see me threatening him, if he has evidence that I threatened him, let him bring it out. Why should I threaten him, for what? I didn’t threaten him. He claimed that I disobeyed the state House of Assembly, why should I do that? I will always obey the house of assembly. As it is, let me advise him (Ejimofor) to always tell the truth because it is the truth that will save him” she stressed.