18th February, 2021
The Ekiti Government on Thursday denied reports alleging that its tax officials locked up a private primary school in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, and made the pupils of the school suffer for hours.
The Commissioner for Information and Values Orientation, Mr. Wale Omole, denied the allegation in a statement he made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti.
Social media reports, earlier on Wednesday had claimed that officials of the State Revenue Service locked the gate of a private nursery and primary school in Ado Ekiti over the alleged failure of the school’s management to pay its income tax.
In the reports, it was alleged that pupils within the school could not leave the environment, and were without food and water up till very late hours of the day.
Parents who were said to have come to pick their children upon hearing of the incident were also allegedly disallowed from taking their children home because the gate was locked.
But the Commissioner reacting, described the reports of school children being locked up over refusal of their school’s management to pay tax as incorrect.
He stated that the present government would never do such to young children under any circumstance.
According to him, ” The attention of the government of Ekiti State has been drawn to a viral video alleging that enforcement officers of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service sealed off a private school, with children inside.
” The circumstances surrounding this event are being investigated and a comprehensive statement will be issued once concluded.
” At this material time, the referenced school has been visited by the officials of government and we can confirm that it is untrue that children are being held.
” Without prejudice to the outcome of the investigation which will be made public very soon, the government assures the public that it is totally unacceptable for children to be maltreated in any way in Ekiti State, and state government will not condone such.”
He said that Governor Kayode Fayemi-led’s administration had been consistent in the fight against discrimination of any kind, and had remained committed to ensuring schools are safe spaces for learning and for moral instruction.