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In a developing story making rounds on social media in Benue State, the Chairman of the Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mr. Joseph Kwaghgba, has reportedly issued queries to all officers of the Motor Licensing Authority (MLA) concerning significant revenue losses linked to the sale and registration of vehicle plate numbers from 2024 to the present date.
According to a viral Facebook post by user Asom D Jerry, shared recently, the discrepancies are startling. In some instances, officers allegedly remitted as little as ₦3 to the state coffers instead of the required ₦30 or more per transaction. The post describes this as a case of organized looting rather than isolated errors.
The allegations center on the Auto-Reg system, an automated platform used for vehicle registration processes. Reports claim the system was configured to accept payments of any amount without adequate validation or enforcement of the official fees. This loophole, according to the claims, allowed certain fraudulent BIRS staff to exploit the setup, diverting substantial state funds into private pockets while recording minimal remittances.
The post further states that all MLA officers are currently responding to the queries issued by the BIRS chairman. Some individuals have reportedly been picked up by the police for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.
This incident highlights broader concerns about internal controls within revenue-generating agencies in the state. Questions are being raised about how such a vulnerability persisted in the Auto-Reg system, who authorized its configuration, and the extent of involvement by other parties. The post emphasizes that this involves public money and calls for those responsible to be exposed and prosecuted.
Benue residents, as highlighted in the circulating post, deserve transparency on the scale of the alleged theft, the identities of those implicated, and measures to prevent future occurrences. The state government is yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but the swift action by the BIRS chairman in querying officers and involving law enforcement suggests an intent to address the issue head-on.
As investigations continue, stakeholders will be watching closely for updates on the amount of revenue potentially lost, the outcomes of police questioning, and any reforms to strengthen the integrity of vehicle registration and revenue collection processes in Benue State. This case underscores the importance of robust systems and accountability in public revenue management to safeguard state resources for development purposes.
