A well-known Yoruba Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo has complained to the Lagos State Government about the excessive tax assessment of N18,640,092 that she received from the Lagos Internal Revenue Service on Monday with a seven-day deadline, adding that she is not prepared to pay.
Ojo stated she won’t pay and is prepared to be arrested since she doesn’t comprehend the logic behind the regular issuance of the tax levy while posting images of the personal income tax signed on the LIRS letterhead on her verified Instagram account.
In the currently-deleted post, she wrote, “Jidesanwoolu @lagosstategovt, please, how do you people come up with these outrageous personal income taxes you send on a daily basis?
“After paying different types of taxes for one’s businesses, house & all…. you still come up with all this huge amount and give me 7 days to pay up, lol.”
Ojo described how she went to the LIRS office to explain everything she made as a businessman; she did this only to be subjected to the state government’s unreasonable charge.
“Make i go thief ni? I ask again, “How do you (sic) people come up with such outrageous bills,” she queried.
“I don’t know how much you think I get paid. Hence, your team will come up with this conclusion.”
She further questioned what the government has done to improve her life, adding, “I have single-handedly raised my kids and so many others, plus myself without a single help from the government. Yet you feel so entitled to reap over 100 per cent from where you did not sow.”
“Nothing is working right in this country, but yet you feel the need to take from where you have not sown.”
Ojo said that because she is unwilling to pay the tax, the government is free to come and arrest her, put her in jail, and shut down her business.
Recall that LIRS had given the Yoruba actress seven days to pay a total of N18,640,092.00 in personal income tax or face penalties for nonpayment.
Ojo, according to the Lagos government, owes N7,376,000.00 in taxes for the year 2022 and N11,264,092 in back taxes for the tax year 2021.
Nigerians have taken to Twitter to react to this development. One @DangbanaManager said: “Before Iyabo ojo pays a kobo, the whole of Lagos must see what Seyi Law and Toyin Abraham pays in tax.”
Another Twitter user with the handle @yuteoflondon said: “Lagos govt witch hunting Iyabo Ojo is the top reason why we really need to break away from this politics of thuggery and bullying.”
@kummydrey said: “So because Iyabo Ojo spoke the truth, you guys want to witchhunt her??
The same tax she pays without getting tangible benefits from the government?
Or is it the scam of a Blue Rail that depicts the EMBEZZLEMENT of Government funds?
Awon werey.”