Kano uncovers ‘billions’ diverted into private accounts from IGR

Kano Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) has uncovered multiple private accounts fraudulently used by certain individuals to divert public revenue.

Besides, the state revenue service lamented missing funds running into billions of naira through those accounts illegally operated before the new leadership came on board.

The Executive Chairman of the state Internal Revenue Service, Dr. Zaid Abubakar raised the alarm during the Annual Performance Review of 2024 and Strategic Planning for 2025 on Wednesday.

Abubakar recalled the depth of misappropriation of revenue generated and under-reported income by previous managers of the state IGR, disclosed critical strategies introduced to block all the leakages.

Although the revenue service chief did not state the value of the missing funds and the identities of the managers and agents responsible for tax collection during the period, he insisted the state had been incapacitated to compete with its peers in IGR generation.

According to him, the service under his stewardship introduced a central revenue account to ensure transparency and accountability as well as frustrating diversion of revenue by some agents.

The service boss worried that despite the population of Kano’s high potential to generate huge revenue, the service had for years been mishandled by bad tax managers.

Abubakar reminded that after blockage of revenue leakages, the service was optimistic of generating more than N100 billion IGR in the 2025 fiscal year, against N70 billion target given by government.

He hinted that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has approved the review of the state tax laws to enhance revenue generation before the end of the first quarter of 2025.

He explained that the service has introduced taxpayer engagement as part of measures to ensure that all taxpayers are fully sensitised on the activities of the service.

He commended Governor Yusuf for the support and cooperation he had been giving the service, which he said had made their duty easier.

The Special Adviser on Revenue, Ibrahim Barde, urged the service to address some of the challenges bedevilling revenue generation in the state.

He said the state government was considering the possibility of collecting revenue on agricultural produce in the state.