Again, protesters storm NRS headquarters over directors’ appointment

By Abubakar Yunusa

Some protesters, on Monday, stormed the headquarters of the Nigerian Revenue Service in Abuja over the recent appointment of some executive directors at the agency.
The protesters, under the aegis of the Coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, gathered in front of the Service to demand compliance with statutory provisions governing the appointments.
Addressing journalists, the leader of the protest, Amande Solomon, said the coalition had reviewed the appointments in line with the Nigerian Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025 and found what it described as discrepancies.
He said the appointments violated provisions of the Nigerian Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025.
The demand was made on Monday during a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the revenue service in Abuja.
He urged the President and the agency’s leadership to correct what he called a breach of due process.
Solomon said the appointment of Executive Directors representing the six geopolitical zones failed to follow the alphabetical rotational arrangement stipulated by the law.
He recalled that during the first phase of the protest on February 16, 2026, the group had already alerted the agency to what it described as a serious violation of the laid-down procedure.
According to him, five out of the six Executive Directors were appointed in violation of Part IV, Section 17(1) of the Act recently signed by the President.
He explained that the law clearly states that appointments must rotate among states in each geopolitical zone in alphabetical order.
Solomon argued that the current arrangement contradicted that provision.
He said Adamawa State ought to produce the Executive Director for the North-East instead of Borno State, while Benue State should represent the North-Central rather than Niger State.
He added that Jigawa State should represent the North-West instead of Kano State, while Abia State should represent the South-East rather than Imo State.
For the South-West, he said Ekiti State should produce the Executive Director instead of Lagos State.
Quoting the Act, Solomon said the President is expected to appoint six Executive Directors representing the geopolitical zones on a rotational basis among the states in alphabetical order.
He added that the law also stipulates that the Executive Chairman and any Executive Director must not come from the same state.
The coalition criticised the leadership of the revenue service for failing to clarify the issue to Nigerians.
Solomon described the silence as an administrative sabotage capable of undermining the President’s intention to promote fairness and due process.
He warned that the alleged breach had shortchanged some states and could threaten national cohesion if left unresolved.
The group vowed to continue its peaceful protests at the agency’s headquarters until the appointments were reversed.
It also threatened to petition relevant authorities, insisting that taxpayers’ money should not be used to sustain what it described as illegitimate appointments.