From all indications, the fast-paced technology-driven achievements in Abia Board of Internal Revenue, ABIR  is not only ruffling feathers, but equally provoking violent reactions in certain persons.

For several years, Abia state Internally Generated Revenue,  Abia's IGR remained stagnant or been on the decline until some proactive measures taken by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. Such measures, including  approval for automation of revenue collection or e-ticketing adopted to check leakages in revenue collection,  received applause and commendations from progressives and conservatives alike.

But not from those  who had feasted on Abia's IGR for years. Their modus operandi was to pose as government revenue collecting agents and  collect levies and tolls from the citizens, but such revenue was either remitted to government in bits or not at all. In some instances, fake receipts were printed for receipts of payment, but never remitted to government coffers. And this is about all kinds of levies available to government, including licensing and its renewals, daily tickets to vehicles and tricycles, market levies and others.

Then came Mac Atasie and Celestine Agbara who rode on the back of work done by Udochukwu Ogbonna  to introduce  a number of transformational initiatives within the Abia BIR. Both men are fine professionals in their various areas of endeavour and have combined their skills to make Abians realise that tax can be paid effortlessly.  They have introduced the eticket and e-enforcement and e-demand notice management and everyone knows they have little leeway of escape. 

Agents buy wholesale but sell only to tax payers identity and so rely on commissions as approved by government.  

This allowed the growth we saw last year from N14-15billion to N18.5bn . It also saw growth in flying revenues from N300,000/daily to above N5m/daily or from less than N100,000m a year to above N1.1bn a year just one revenue line. 

For the first time traders started paying taxes versus the past where they believed they were free from legitimate taxation.  For the first time Abia has a ussd code so that tax payers can confirm their debt and payment for certain revenue heads. Others are being added. 

However, Azubuike Erondu continues to inundate the social media with negative messages stating ABIR is  not making progress.  Records don't lie and the records presented to bloggers in Abia recently shows good progress which is why we believe the governor had continued to push them to automate more and reign in all revenue heads. 

ETF is funded today because of their model and activities with zero operational effort by ETF. Such ideas breed efficiency and effectiveness.  

Law enforcement agencies should not allow persons to continue to insult Abia's best and brightest  gentlemen.

The persons Azubuike has maligned here are some of Abia's best. He is obviously trying to discredit them but one wonders why. He is a known revenue agent . He buys revenues at say N15m and makes over N1bn or if we use the old rate of N72m from motor flying revenues which generated N1.167bn plus last year.

 Why does he wants the State to make N72m and he makes over N2bn? This is the crux of the matter. 

From several investigations, there are no justifications  why he is so hell bent on publishing lies about these gentlemen and worse things about a man's home. A woman who did nothing to him and who had never seen him up to today. The bitterness is visible. 

It is time the law enforcement agents step into the matter, as some of the allegations against Atasie are clearly defamatory.

Atasie is a Thought  Leader on increasing IGR Efficiency and Accountability through Smart Innovations in Nigeria. Amongst others, he was instrumental  in the introduction of the first POS network and Agency Banking in Nigeria

Definitely, a man deprived of free food  will  not walk away quietly, thus the several false and malicious allegations against Messr Celestine Agbara ag Chairman of ABIR and Mac Atasie 

Perusing through Azubuike Erondu's recent allegations titled: 'Abia Board of Internal Revenue and its Fraudulent Leadership', there is no doubt that it falls short of acceptable standards and actually offends Section 24 I(a) of the Nigerian Cybercrime Act 2015.

 Members of the general public need to aware that this man has infringed upon the fundamental human rights of Messrs Agbara and Mac Atasie. The constant use of the word fraud is aimed at damaging the images of both professionals. Worse is the continued barrage of messages against Mr Ataise's wife, Agbara's person etc. 

Is it not clear that this man who calls himself 'Mopol' is deliberately trying to reverse the progress achieved in automating IGR and pushing for serious enforcement which Atase and Agbara have successfully started. How will the likes of  'Mopol' and his type be stopped  from buying revenues at low prices and living fat from it while State gets peanuts and we expect development? It is time the law enforcement agencies look into the matter.