Workers Of Winners’ Chapel Attack Tax Officials In Ogun

Workers of the Living Faith Church, popularly
known as the Winners Chapel allegedly
attacked tax officials of Ogun State at the
premises of the church in Ota.
According to sources, tax men had gone to the
Kingdom Heritage Nursery School, located
within the premises of the Church Worldwide,
when they were attacked.
The source said one of the tax men is still on
admission in the hospital, in Ilaro, while several
others were injured. Some of the tax men,
were even detained by security officials of the
church, until they were freed by the local
divisional police officer.
Speaking on the attack at a press briefing
which held at the State Government Press
Centre, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, Friday
afternoon, Chairman of the agency, Mr Jide
Odubanjo said that the incident occurred when
his men were on a routine exercise of ensuring
total compliance with the tax laws of the
state.
"Yesterday, an ugly incident occurred in the
premises of Kingdom Heritage Nursery School,
a commercial venture which is located within
the complex of Winners Chapel, Otta, Ogun
State. Officials of Ogun State Internal Revenue
Service, OGIRS were violently assaulted and
later unlawfully detained in the premises for a
number of hours. As a result of this incident,an
officer of the agency is currently hospitalised in
Ilaro while others with minor injuries have been
treated and discharged…," he said.
Odubanjo further revealed that the policemen
attached to the agency were also manhandled
by those whom he referred to as, 'overzealous
officials' of the church.
According to him, several notices have been
sent to them to offset their tax debt which he
stated was below N2 million.
"What they owed is below two million naira. It
is from 2003 to 2010. We have sent several
notices to them.The first one was in 2010
followed by that of 2011 and the last was in
May 2013. Our men were explaining to them
when some personnel including their legal
officer and accountant came out and in the
course of discussion,our men were beaten blue
black and our equipment were destroyed.
"We view this as the height of irresponsibility
and lawlessness for any person or group of
persons to assault government officials who
are performing their lawful duties. A formal
complaint has been lodged with the Police.The
position of the State government is that it will
not tolerate any form of violence against any
of its officers or agents in the lawful discharge
of their duties," he maintained.
The State Attorney-General and Commissioner
for Justice, Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu said the
charges that will be pressed against the
attackers will be based on the statement made
to the police.
"Without prejudice to the fact on ground and
with the video evidence we have just
watched,they may likely be charged for false
imprisonment and assault," Akeredolu stated.