Two legal practitioners, Bala Dakum Esq, and Nurat Usman Esq, have petitioned Dr Musa Aliyu, the chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), over alleged extortion leveled against the Joint Tax Board (JTB).
Dakum, a principal partner and Usman, a counsel, in the law firm of B.I. Dakum & Co, in a joint petition, also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
In the petition, they urged Aliyu and Egbetokun to thoroughly investigate the acts of harassment, extortions and unlawful impoundment of vehicles under the guise of implementation of the Single Inter-State Road Tax Stickers (SIRTS) and Single Haulage Fee (SHF) by JTB.
In a letter addressed to the ICPC chairman, the lawyers said they “are solicitors to Paben MBC Ltd. on whose firm instructions we petition you.”
They said the company, a limited liability firm, is duly registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020, and is into haulage businesses with Mr Solomon Obodeh as its Chief Executive Officer.
They alleged that since 2022, the JTB, chaired by the chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), engaged in illegal implementation of the SIRTS and SHF.
The petitioners said though the operation is purportedly being carried out pursuant to the provisions of the Taxes and Levies Act, Amendment Order 2015, neither the Act establishing the JTB nor other legislation gives it the powers to engage a consultant or operate SIRTs and SHF initiatives.
Besides, the lawyer argued that a judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos state delivered by Justice A.O. Faji on May 8, 2020 had “nullified the Taxes and Levies Act, Amendment Order, 2015 which is allegedly the bases of the implementation of the SIRTs and SHF initiatives.”
“The said the Act which the Joint Tax Board purports to derive its powers particularly PART IV. 2(a) of the said Act only gives the JTB the powers to design stickers but not to produce issue and or engage a consultant.”
