By BONIFACE AKARAH

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (InterSociety) has called on the Anambra State Government to end what it described as indiscriminate taxes and levies across the state and enforce existing laws governing their collection and sharing.

The organisation, In letters dated September 30, 2026 and delivered to the Anambra State Executive and Legislative arms, also demanded public accountability for taxes and levies collected in the state, including the publication of annual financial reports.

InterSociety said the letters were addressed to the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Amaka Nnake, and the Commissioners for Commerce and Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, with forwarding copies sent to Governor Charles Soludo and the state Attorney General. It also wrote to the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, with copies sent to the state Commissioner of Police and Director of the Department of State Services.

The group s’id the letters, titled “People’s Petition” and “Demand for Stewardship Accountability,” were accompanied by 14 pages of evidence and focused largely on revenue collection activities in Onitsha South Local Government Area.

InterSociety alleged that about N1 billion was generated outside the law through taxes and levies in Onitsha South between March and September 2026 under the administration of former council chairman Emeka Orji.

“Estimated N1billion is found to have been generated outside the law including payments made in cash, possibly ended up in private persons’ accounts in contradiction of official financial management regulations,” the organisation alleged.

According to InterSociety, the alleged revenue was collected through what it described as the duplication and criminalisation of taxes and levies imposed on traders and owners of warehoused goods.

The organisation said the Onitsha South administration vacated office on October 3, 2026, three days after its letters were delivered, and demanded that any funds found to have been unlawfully collected or diverted be traced and returned to the appropriate statutory coffers.

“The estimated N1billion was found to have been illicitly and unlawfully made in seven months of March to Sept 2026,” InterSociety stated.

The group urged the Soludo administration to enforce the laws and procedures governing unified and joint collection of taxes and levies, while ending what it described as multiple and porous revenue windows.

It also called for the publication of annual financial reports showing taxes and levies collected by the government.

“The Anambra State Government under him must also publicly account for bloated taxes and levies collected through public issuance of annual financial reports; eliminate abuse of public office power and corrupt practises,” the organisation said.

InterSociety further demanded an investigation into the administration and finances of the former Onitsha South council, including its former chairman’s statutory remuneration and financial transactions or investments that may be linked directly or indirectly to him or alleged proxies.

The organisation also called for investigations into alleged harassment, intimidation and extortion of traders and owners of warehoused goods in Onitsha South.

“Traders must not be criminalized and punished through multiplicity and criminalization of taxes and levies for paying taxes and levies,” it said.

Among its demands, InterSociety called for the recovery and return of the alleged ?1 billion, or any properties into which the funds may have been invested, if investigations establish that the money was unlawfully collected.

It also demanded investigations and possible prosecution of anyone found to have undermined the state’s revenue laws through alleged forgery, multiplication or criminalisation of revenue demands and possible diversion of funds.

The organisation urged the state government to investigate possible breaches of the Anambra State Fiscal Responsibility Law, the State-Local Government Joint Account provisions under Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution, the Anambra State Local Government Law of 2024, the State Revenue Administration Law of 2023 and the state’s approved list of taxes and levies for 2025.

InterSociety further called for the immediate discontinuation of what it described as extortionist revenue collection exercises in markets and street areas under Onitsha South and other parts of Anambra.

“The Government of Anambra State must also adhere strictly to relevant provisions of the Anambra State Fiscal Responsibility Law and that of Federation of Nigeria,” the group stated.

It also asked the Anambra State House of Assembly to refer its petition to relevant committees, including those responsible for public petitions, corruption and abuse of public office, for investigation and possible legislative action.

Beyond revenue collection, InterSociety urged Soludo’s administration to remain focused on infrastructure and social services across the state, while avoiding what it described as nepotism, favouritism and corrupt practices.

“Soludo’s Administration, above all, must remain focused and undistracted in the governance of Anambra by aggressively pursuing infrastructural and social services developments across the State,” the organisation said.

InterSociety said its demands were aimed at sanitising the state’s revenue system, protecting traders from alleged multiple levies and improving accountability in the management of public funds.