Illegal revenue collectors will be treated as criminals, economic saboteurs – Kogi Govt

Salihu Sule Enehe, Executive Chairman of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS), has issued a strong warning against illegal revenue collection on highways following the implementation of Nigeria’s new tax law, which came into effect on January 1, 2026.

Speaking in Lokoja on Sunday on the implication of the reform, Enehe said that the new tax regime expressly prohibits all forms of unauthorised revenue collection carried out on highways under the guise of taxation, adding that any individual or group found engaging in such practices would be regarded as an enemy of both Kogi State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, just as he stressed that the Government would no longer tolerate activities capable of undermining economic stability and lawful revenue administration.

He said, “Offenders would be treated as criminals and economic saboteurs and, upon arrest, would be prosecuted in accordance with the law”.

The KGIRS chairman equally explained that the reform had abolished the sale of revenue emblems and the collection of haulage fees on highways, just as he clarified that all legitimate haulage charges are strictly restricted to designated loading and off-loading points in line with the provisions of the new tax law and global best practices.

Enehe urged transport operators, business owners and the general public to comply with the new directives and report any cases of illegal tax collection to the appropriate Authorities.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Kogi State Government to building a transparent, efficient and business-friendly tax system that supports economic growth and protects the interests of law-abiding citizens.