The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has urged Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo to put an end to alleged indiscriminate taxes and levies in the state. This call was made in a petition sent to Governor Soludo, citing series of allegations of unregulated charges being charged on residents by government officials.
Intersociety also seeks the probe of the finances of the Onitsha South Local Government Area, particularly within the last eight months, to enhance transparency and accountability. The organisation stated that the state government must publicly account for alleged bloated taxes and levies collected through public issuance of annual financial reports.
The petition, signed by Head of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi, and Human Rights lawyers, Chidinma Udegbulam and Joy Igboeli, urged the state government to adhere strictly to relevant provisions of the Anambra State Fiscal Responsibility Law and that of the Federation of Nigeria. They also called for the elimination of abuse of public office power and corrupt practises in accordance with Section 15 (5) of the 1999 Constitution.
According to Intersociety, estimated N1billion was generated outside the law, including payments made in cash, in contradiction of official financial management regulations. These taxes and levies were collected using duplicity and criminalisation of taxes and levies by the outgone Onitsha South Local Government administration.
The referenced Onitsha South Local Government Administration vacated office on October 3, 2026, three days after the letters were successfully delivered. The estimated N1billion was found to have been illicitly and unlawfully made in seven months, from March to September 2026.
Intersociety therefore asked Soludo to sanitise revenue windows and their collection, locate, recover and return to statutory state or affected LGA coffers. They also urged him to thoroughly investigate the immediate past administration of Onitsha South and order immediate discontinuation of all ongoing extortionist exercises in the name of revenue collection.
Soludo’s administration, Intersociety said, must remain focused and undistracted in the governance of Anambra by aggressively pursuing infrastructural and social services developments across the state, outside nepotism and favouritism, corruption and corrupt practises.
Key points
- The group alleged that N1billion was generated illegally by the Onitsha South Local Government administration between March and September 2026.
- Intersociety urged Governor Soludo to probe the finances of the Onitsha South Local Government Area to enhance transparency and accountability.
- The organisation called for the discontinuation of all ongoing extortionist exercises in the name of revenue collection in the state.
