Plateau Internal Revenue Service Pushes Blame On Tax Invasion Row On Highways To Consultant Firm

Yakubu Busari

The Chairman, Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS) Mr Dashe Arlat,has accused a former  disengaged consulting firm, the Head  Mr Solomon Osage for illegal recruited boys who wreak havoc trailers owner on Jos-Bauchi road .

It was gathered that  revenue collection consultant are throwing blame on each other over a row that occurred on Jos-Bauchi Road last Wednesday.

The incident occurred sometimes last Wednesday, around Kunga – Rigizah village alongside Jos – Bauchi road when the road was  blocked from motorists after several hours of unnecessary delay  and one vehicle (Trailer), which ran into a drum placed by revenue Officers, got stock in the middle of the road.

The incident led to the arrest and detention of one Mohammed Bello suspected to be one of the revenue Officials by the police at Angwan rogo Division, Jos North Local Government Area.

The suspect was said to have since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for questioning.

Investigations revealed that both PSIRS Chairman, Mr Dashe Arlat, who embarrassed by incident and a consultant, Paben MBC Ltd, are pointing accusing fingers on each other.

While Arlat described the Wednesday incident as the work of the already disengaged consulting firm, the Head of the firm, Mr Solomon Osage, denied any involvement in the Wednesday road blockage that left motorists stranded from 6.00am to 1.00 pm of day, Wednesday, July 29.

“As a Service (PRIRS), we are so embarrassed by the way and manner those revenue collection officials caused the blockage of that highway that day, when they destroyed the radiator of the Trailer.

“Our worry is that we don’t know those so-called revenue collection officials that caused that embarrassing row on the highway.

“We are suspecting Paben behind all this just to embarrass us in this state.

The person we know that help us in revenue collection now is one Alh. Sule Yaro, who is presently in correctional centre over a matter in Court.

“We are glad that we were able to over come that challenge and looking forward at ensuring that a thing does occur again,” The PSIRS chairman assured.

But Osage, who denied any knowledge or involvement in the Wednesday saga, said, “how could l have send my boys on the road when my contract with the state government expired since Dec. 18, 2019?”

Osage stated that Arlat was not been fair to him for fingering him as the cause of that incident.

“I have been disengaged as the revenue collection consultant by the state government and I see no reason why I should engage my boys in any illicit act having known the implementations.

“PSIRS should look deep and inward to know whose boys caused the embarrassing row on the high on Wednesday, July 29 other than blindly accussing me, ” Osage said.

Our Correspondent, who visited the scene and revenue collection point at Kunga – Rigizah, spoke with the Youth Leader of the village, Mr Luka Inuwa, who gave him  the phone number of the leader of the revenue Officers, one Mr Shehu.

Shehu, in an interview, said that they were working for the service but that it was “so unfortunate that the trailer’s driver refused to stop and ran into a drum which spoiled the vehicle’s radiator and ended up blocking the entire highway for several hours.”

“We have been collecting revenue for the state at that same collection point for over six years without any such unfortunate incident,” Shehu explained.

Also speaking, the Youth Leader expressed worry over Wednesday’s incident, which he said almost threaten the peace of the Community.

“The driver and his colleagues had insisted that until a new radiator was bought for him or N150,000 be given to him to purchase it, the road would remain blocked.

“In fact, you need to see the grid lock the blockage caused that very day but thank God a good Samaritan, who later paid N130, 000 to the aggrieved trailer driver for the replacement of the spoiled radiator,” he explained.

Inuwa advised the revenue collection officials to be more careful in conducting their activities not to allow such ugly incident to occur again.

The youth leader warned, “if such an ugly incident would occur again, we, the people of this community will have no option but to  ask them to relocate to another place.”

Contacted, the Plateau Police Command spokesman, Mr Gabriel Ubah, who confirmed the matter said it was amicably resolved and the road was reopened for motorists.

Ubah said only one person was arrested in Connection with the matter and investigation was ongoing to unravel the matter.