Governor Fayose Fires Ropo Ogun­jobi, Chairman of Ekiti IRS over Fraud

The State Board of Internal Revenue Service, who is also the Special Assistant to the Governor on Revenue Matters, Mr Ropo Ogun­jobi, has been relieved of his appointment on the orders of Governor Ayodele Fayose over alleged fraud. It was learnt that a large scale financial fraud was uncovered at the agency.

Investigations revealed that the perpetrators of the alleged fraud include some staff of the board who collaborated with outsiders to commit the crime.

Though the specific amount involved in the scam was not immediately known, insider sources said it could run into mil­lions of naira.

It was learnt that while the revenue boss was sacked for negligence, two other persons were appre­hended by agents of the state government and im­mediately handed over to the police.

The state governor con­firmed the story yesterday and gave names of the two other arrested persons as Omotayo Ojo, a rev­enue officer and Akinniyi Akinsola, a private printer.

According to the gov­ernor, the duo specialise in the printing of fake revenue receipts as well as engage in the issuance of fake tax clearance cer­tificates to unsuspecting residents.

They were said to have printed and began putting to use a total of 10 packets of fake revenue receipts before nemesis caught up with them.

The governor warned people of the state to stop paying money directly to any government official but rather approach the banks for such payments.

Meanwhile, the state police commissioner, Mr Etom James who also con­firmed the development said full scale investigation had commenced on the matter.

[BreakingTimes]