Ondo LG Tax Collectors Kill Widow Over Non Payment Of Tax

A 38-year-old hairdresser, Mrs Toyin Ijiyemi have been allegedly killed by some tax collectors from Akure South Local Government, Ondo state while trying to seize her television set for alleged failure to pay tax.

CityMirrorNews learnt that Ijiyemi fell down while dragging her television set with these tax collectors which they wanted to seize from her because she did not pay the money requested from her.

The local government workers were said to have taken the television to their vehicle and left the scene of the incident without attending to the deceased.

The unfortunate incident according to Our Correspondent investigation led to the death of the woman later and her remains have been deposited at the morgue of the State Specialists Hospital, Akure.

An aunt of the deceased, who spoke with journalists during the fact finding of the story Mojisola Otitilowo, said: “Toyin was at her shop at Bolajoko Street, Oke-Aro area in the state capital around 2pm when the council officials invaded the shop. They were four in number. Three of them disembarked from the vehicle they brought.

Her words,”The council officials ask her to pay the rate for her shop. All efforts made by Toyin to appeal to them not to seize her television failed. She did not have money and that was why she begged them that she would come and pay the money the second day.

“They did not accept her plea. One of them removed the television from where it was placed but Toyin started dragging it with them. She fell down. Despite that she fell down, the council officials went away with the television.

“A woman, who came to buy sachet water, discovered that Toyin was unconscious where she laid on the floor of the shop and raised an alarm which attracted neighbors who rushed in and started pouring water on Toyin to revive her.

“When it was realized that Toyin had given up the ghost, the matter was reported at the B Division Police station, Oke-Aro.”

Following the incident, the local government tax officials were later arrested by the police.

The mother of the deceased, Mrs. Abike Ijiyemi, was crying when our correspondent visited her at her home at Alade-Idanre in Idanre Local Government Area of the state.

The old woman said: “In the morning of the day she was killed, she called me and said that she had bought some foodstuffs for me. She promised to bring them to me in Idanre the second day. Instead of her coming to fulfill her promise, it was the announcement of her death they brought to me.

“My daughter was a widow. Her husband died for years ago. She has been singlehandedly taking care of their only child since then. She was the one who sponsored the education of their 24-year-old son up to the Gateway Polytechnic in Ogun state before her death. She was the person taking care of me and paying my debts for me.”

The only child of the deceased, Ayodele Adelanke, however requested that the killers of his mother should be brought to book, saying she must not die in vain.

All efforts to speak with the Caretaker Chairman of the council, Mrs. Margret Atere, failed as our correspondent waited to see her in her office for more than two hours.

A source at the council secretariat said she was at the police headquarters, Igbatoro road, at the time our correspondent was waiting for her in the office in respect of the case.

It was learnt that those arrested concerning the case are not original staff of the local government but those engaged by the political heads of the council to collect taxes.

A source said: “The political heads of the council are fond of bringing people outside to collect taxes. I am sure if they had allowed the staff to do their job, things such as this would not have happen. This is because the original staff are well-trained about how to relate with members of the public.”

Ondo State Police spokesman, Mr. Femi Joseph, who confirmed the incident, described it as unfortunate saying that some suspects have been arrested over the killing of the woman.

Joseph however said investigation into the matter was still going on and the suspects would soon be arraigned in court.