Benue Internal Revenue Service Bans Roadside Tax Checkpoints, Insists on Strict Compliance

The Executive Chairman of the Benue State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) has issued a strong directive banning all roadside checkpoints and the collection of taxes and levies on highways, emphasizing that the policy is final, lawful, and non-negotiable.

In a memorandum addressed to all Zonal and Area Tax Officers, the Chairman reiterated the provisions of the new tax law, which mandates the immediate dismantling of checkpoints and the cessation of on-road revenue collection. Instead, officers are required to focus on tracing taxable activities to legitimate points of loading and off-loading as permitted by law.

The memo highlighted growing dissatisfaction and reluctance among some Area Tax Officers regarding the directive, firmly stating that any failure to meet assigned revenue targets under the guise of compliance issues would be treated as deliberate sabotage, gross inefficiency, or willful disobedience. Such actions, it warned, will face zero tolerance, with appropriate disciplinary measures applied in line with Service Rules and Regulations.

Key directives outlined include the complete prohibition of tax collection on roads, innovation in tracing and enforcing compliance at approved collection points, deployment of intelligence-driven strategies, identification of taxable persons and activities at designated loading and off-loading areas, and ensuring assigned revenue targets are met according to approved projections.

Describing the memorandum as a final warning, management affirmed its commitment to protecting the integrity of the service while urging all officers to comply strictly. Zonal Tax Officers have been tasked with enforcing the same standards across their jurisdictions.

This move aligns with broader efforts to streamline revenue collection, reduce harassment of motorists, and promote a more structured and lawful approach to taxation in Benue State.