…As Watchdog Newspaper alleges threat to lives of staff
The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma has finally bowed to pressure mounted on his administration by a cross section of well meaning Imolites by terminating the appointment of controversial Anambra state born Dr Ifeanyi Okeke as Acting chairman of Imo Internal Revenue Service (IIRS). Consequently June Chika Levi-Oguike has been appointed as the new Acting Chairman of IIRS.
According to a release issued by government to that effect, the embattled former boss of IIRS Dr Ifeanyi Okeke handed over to the new Acting Chairman at a ceremony that took place at the Okigwe Road, Owerri headquarters of IIRS on September, 23, 2022.
The release, also stated that the new boss of IIRS, Chiaka Levi-Oguike who hails from Ogbuosis Umuguma in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State has a First Degree in Business Economics and Finance and Masters Degree in International Commercial Law.
She is also said to have garnered ample experience working in the investment banking industry, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and KPMG professional services, among others.
According to the report, “a seasoned trainer and consultant, June Chiaka Levi-Oguike is a PhD Research Fellow with the UR/CST – World Bank ACE Project and is a registered professional with the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN). She is the former Special Assistant to the Governor, on Internally Generated Revenue”.
Recall that the IIRS under Dr Ifeanyi Okeke who was appointed as Acting Chairman of the agency on February 18, 2022 has been enmeshed in several alleged despicable acts, that border on diversion of funds, sexual harassment of married female staff of the revenue agency, alleged rape of a 13 year old girl by a staff of IIRS, imposition of multiple taxes on business owners in the state, a situation that compelled most of them to relocate their business concerns to other states.
For instance, Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper which incurred the wrath of the Dr Okeke-led IIRS because it continuously highlighted most of the alleged acts of official misconduct perpetrated by staff of IIRS. In a report in its September, 22 2022, edition captioned, “Group Renews Call for the sack of IIRS chairman, Okeke, the media outfit articulated some of the reports against staff of IIRS under Okeke.
There are indications that it is not yet uhuru for the embattled Anambra State born chairman of the Imo Internal Revenue Service (IIRS), Dr Ifeanyi Okeke whose appointment remains contentious till date.
A formidable socio-political group known as Imolites For Good Governance (IFGG), comprising renowned human rights activists and commentators on contemporary issues, has called on the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma to, as a matter of urgency relieve Dr Okeke of his job as the boss of IIRS to stop the continued fall of the state’s internally generated revenue.
This was contained in a release signed by the group’s Acting Spokesperson, Maxwell Anyadike and made available to Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper.
Anyadike, in the release, stated that, “all the chairman of IIRS does is to issue fictitious and unrealistic figures of success, while in actual fact, Imo State’s Internally generated revenue has continued to dwindle since he assume office in questionable circumstances”.
“It is also annoying that, aside the inexplicable dwindling IGR base of the state, the IIRS, under Dr Okeke’s watch has continuously been rocked by several scandals and controversies. Hence, it is surprising that Governor Hope Uzodinma, despite his orchestrated zero tolerance for corruption and attendant vices has not deemed it necessary to send Dr Ifeanyi Okeke and his team packing”.
The group also wondered why the governor allowed the Commissioner for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite whose appointment also elicited enormous controversy and public outrage to facilitate the appointment of her personal aide as chairman of IIRS.
Similarly, in a report earlier published in its September,1, 2022 edition, captioned, “Business owners in Imo weep over multiple taxes”, Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper stated that, “meanwhile, more facts have emerged about how the sacked Human Resource Manager of the IIRS, Mrs Chika Okoliegbe allegedly defrauded the state of several millions of naira which she reportedly invested in the acquisition of choice properties in Owerri and environ, in addition to buying a Honda Pilot SUV car, among other investments.
It was also gathered from a reliable source that contrary to the statement issued by the S.A. Media to the Chairman of IIRS, that the man who allegedly defiled a 13 year old girl in the premises of the revenue agency, is a staff of a security outfit engaged by the IIRS, the culprit is a bonafide staff of IIRS named Chibuzo.
The source also stated that, “the said Chibuzo, who was arrested and detained by the police for the offence, was later released, shielded and given a soft landing by the management of IIRS”.
It would also be recalled that a top management staff of the revenue agency popularly called Mr FIGURES was alleged to have been caught in the act with a married woman in his office. This, according to reports has always been his stock in trade, as he often intimidates and arm twists young married women into submission, while he threatens those who refuse to play ball with indefinite suspension, termination of appointment and other punitive measures”.
Meanwhile, the publisher of Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper, Comrade Precious Nwadike has alerted the general public on threat to lives of staff of Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper who had reported to him of suspicious movement around the head office of the media house located in Owerri. Some of them revealed that they have been receiving threatening calls from unknown persons since the Newspaper exposed the nefarious activities of some staff of IIRS.
NIGERIA NEWSPOINT
