The Taraba State Internal Revenue Board (TIRSB) has warned taxpayers in the state against remitting tax payments into private accounts, stressing that all collections must go through approved government channels and authorised revenue officers. The caution was issued on Thursday during a taxpayer sensitisation and awareness programme on the state’s new tax reform measures in Jalingo, the state capital.
Quick facts
- The Taraba State Internal Revenue Board warned taxpayers not to pay taxes into private accounts.
- All tax payments, the board said, must be made through approved government channels and authorised revenue officers.
- The warning was delivered on Thursday in Jalingo during a taxpayer awareness campaign on new tax reform initiatives.
- The campaign involved traders’ associations, market women, bankers and other stakeholders across major parts of the city.
- The chairman urged residents to comply with the new tax reform laws and warned that fraud or diversion of revenue would attract full legal consequences.
- Market women and traders’ groups said the sensitisation was timely and would help reduce illegal collection and improve compliance.
The programme, held across major areas of Jalingo, drew participation from traders’ associations, market women, bankers and other stakeholders. TIRSB said the event is meant to help residents understand the changes in the state’s tax framework and to encourage voluntary compliance.
Brigadier General (Rtd.) Jeremiah Aliyu Faransa, chairman of the board, said the initiative is focused on bringing taxpayers into the conversation and building stronger trust in Taraba’s revenue collection system. He highlighted that effective engagement can improve how residents view enforcement and payment processes.
Faransa also commended the existing relationship between revenue officials and taxpayers, describing it as a key factor in smoother administration. He reiterated that paying taxes is both a civic duty and a legal requirement for eligible citizens.
The chairman said the board believes public awareness must be intensified so that residents clearly understand that no individual is permitted to collect taxes illegally or redirect government revenue into personal accounts. He warned that anyone found involved in tax fraud or the diversion of tax proceeds would face the full force of the law.
Faransa urged residents to embrace the new tax reform laws, adding that the board—working alongside the state government—would ensure that revenues raised are used responsibly for development and for the welfare of Taraba’s citizens. The message was aimed at linking compliance with tangible public outcomes.
Market women and members of traders’ associations who participated in discussions after the campaign expressed satisfaction with the outreach. They said the sensitisation was timely and useful, and pledged to help educate their members on the importance of following the new tax reform requirements.
They also argued that the programme should help curb illegal tax collection practices while improving overall compliance across the state, reinforcing TIRSB’s message that proper channels and authorised personnel are essential to legitimate revenue generation.
