Tax Collectors Kill Hairdresser Over Payment Default In Ondo
A 38-year-old hairdresser identified as Mrs. Toyin Ijiyemi, has been allegedly killed by tax officials from Akure South local government area of Ondo State for failure to pay tax.
It was learnt that Ijiyemi fell down while dragging her television with the council officials which they wanted to confiscate because she did not pay the money demanded from her.
It was also learnt that the local government workers were said to have taken the television to their vehicle after the deceased fell down and left the scene of the incident without attending to her.
Her remains have been deposited at the morgue of the State Specialist Hospital, Akure.
Narrating how the deceased was allegedly killed, her aunt, Mojisola Otitilowo, said: “Toyin was at her shop at Bolajoko Street, Oke-Aro area in the state capital around 2pm when the council officials invaded the shop. They were four in number. Three of them disembarked from the vehicle they came in.
“The council officials asked her to pay the rate for her shop. All efforts made by Toyin to appeal to them not to seize her television failed. She did not have money and that was why she begged them that she would come and pay the money the following day.
“They did not accept her plea. One of them removed the television from where it was but Toyin started dragging it with them. She fell down. Despite that she fell down, the council officials went away with the television.
“A woman who came to buy sachet water, discovered that Toyin was unconscious where she laid on the floor of the shop and raised an alarm which attracted neighbors who rushed in and started pouring water on Toyin to revive her.
“When it was realized that Toyin had given up the ghost, the matter was reported at the B Division Police station, Oke-Aro.”
Also, her 80 -year -old mother, Abike Ijiyemi, when our correspondent visited her at her home at Alade-Idanre in Idanre Local Government Area of the state, said that the deceased was her only child.
According to her, “she was my only child and the only one taking care of me. In the morning of the day she was killed, she called me and said that she had bought some foodstuffs for me. She promised to bring them to me in Idanre the second day. Instead of her coming to fulfill her promise, it was the announcement of her death they brought to me.
“My daughter was a widow. Her husband died four years ago. She has been singlehandedly taking care of their only child since then. She was the one who sponsored the education of their 24-year-old son up to the Gateway Polytechnic in Ogun state before her death. She was the person taking care of me and settling my debts for me.”
All efforts to speak with the caretaker chairman of the council, Mrs. Margret Atere, failed as our correspondent waited to see her in her office for more than two hours.
A source at the council secretariat said she was at the police headquarters, Igbatoro road, at the time our correspondent was waiting for her in the office in respect of the case.
It was learnt that those arrested concerning the case are not original staff of the local government but those engaged by the political heads of the council to collect taxes.
A source said: “The political heads of the council are fond of bringing people outside to collect taxes. I am sure if they had allowed the staff to do their job, things such as this would not happen. This is because the original staff are well trained about how to relate with members of the public.”
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Femi Joseph, described it as unfortunate.
Joseph said that some suspects have been arrested over the killing of the woman.
The PPRO said that investigation into the matter was still going on, adding that the suspects would soon be arraigned in court.
