Share

A group, the Coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, on Monday, staged a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the Nigerian Revenue Service in Abuja, demanding a review of the appointment of executive directors in the agency.

The protesters gathered at the entrance of the agency’s headquarters but were prevented from gaining access to the premises by security personnel, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies.

The demonstration, described by organisers as the second phase of their protest, was conducted peacefully and without any reported incident of violence.

Addressing journalists during the protest, the convener of the coalition, Comrade Amande Msughter Solomon, said the group was concerned about what it described as irregularities in the appointment of executive directors representing the country’s geopolitical zones in the revenue agency.

Solomon alleged that the appointments did not follow the provisions of the Nigerian Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025, which he said requires that the positions rotate among states within each geopolitical zone in alphabetical order.

He said, “The law provides that the appointment of executive directors representing the geopolitical zones should rotate among states in alphabetical order. Our concern is that some states that ought to have been considered were allegedly bypassed.”

According to him, the group had earlier drawn attention to the issue during the first phase of its protest held on February 16, but said there had been no response from the management of the agency.

“We are only calling for compliance with the law guiding these appointments, and we will continue to pursue this matter peacefully until the relevant authorities address our concerns,” he added.

He said the coalition decided to resume the protest to press for what it called compliance with the law governing the appointments.

The convener explained that the law provides that the President appoints six executive directors representing the geopolitical zones of the country through a rotational arrangement among states in alphabetical order.

He argued that some states that should have been considered under the arrangement were allegedly bypassed in the appointments, a development the group said should be reviewed.

Solomon said the coalition would continue its peaceful protests and also petition relevant authorities until its concerns were addressed.

Officials of the Nigerian Revenue Service did not respond to the allegations at the time of filing this report.

Security officers at the entrance of the agency’s headquarters maintained order during the protest and prevented the demonstrators from entering the premises. (This Day)

Update news