Some protesters on Monday stormed the headquarters of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) in Abuja over the recent appointment of executive directors at the agency.
The affected directors include Muhammad A. Lawal, Amina Ado Kurawa, Shettima Tamadi, Obinna Ihedioha, Iniabasi Akpan, and Bolaji Akintola.
They alleged that the appointment breach Section 17(1) of the NRS Establishment Act, as the appointees allegedly do not meet the statutory requirements.
The protesters, under the aegis of the Coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, gathered at the entrance of the Service, demanding compliance with statutory provisions governing the appointments.
Addressing journalists, the leader of the protest, Amande Solomon, said the coalition reviewed the appointments in line with the Nigerian Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025, and identified what it described as discrepancies.
He alleged that five of the six recently appointed Executive Directors violate provisions of the Act.
“We are calling for adherence to the rule of law and due process in the appointment of Executive Directors at the Service,” Solomon said.
Citing Section 17(1) of the Act, he explained that six Executive Directors are to be appointed to represent the geopolitical zones on a rotational basis among states in alphabetical order, with the proviso that the Executive Chairman and an Executive Director must not come from the same state.
According to Solomon, some of the recent appointments did not fully reflect the requirements of the Act signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said members of the coalition, drawn from five geopolitical zones, visited the headquarters to submit a letter outlining their concerns and requesting a review of the appointments.
Security operatives initially restricted access to the premises but later allowed representatives of the group to submit their letter.
“We are here peacefully to submit our letter and present our concerns for onward transmission to the appropriate authorities,” Solomon stated.
The group maintained that, based on its interpretation of the rotational arrangement, nominees should have emerged from Adamawa State for the North-East instead of Borno State; Benue State for the North-Central instead of Niger State; Jigawa State for the North-West; Abia State for the South-East instead of Imo State; and Ekiti State for the South-West instead of Lagos State.
However, Solomon acknowledged that the South-South appointment was consistent with the coalition’s understanding of the rotational provision.
He urged relevant authorities, including the Executive Chairman of the Service, Zacch Adedeji, to review the appointments in line with the legal framework guiding the agency.
Solomon added that the coalition expects a response within two weeks, after which members would determine their next course of action.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Revenue Service had yet to officially respond to the protesters’ demands.
