THE Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has apologised to Christians over its Easter message.
On March 31, in a now-deleted post about Easter, the FIRS wrote that “Jesus paid your debt, not your taxes,” a statement that sparked public outcry among Christians.
Consequently, the CAN, while condemning the message, which it described as “offensive and derogatory to the Christian faith,” demanded a apology from the agency.
CAN, in a statement on Tuesday, April 2, in Abuja, by its National Director, National Issues and Social Welfare (CAN), Commodore Abimbola Ayuba (rtd), said the message had threatened Nigeria’s unity and undermined respect among diverse religious groups.
While describing the message as “offensive and derogatory” to the Christian faith, CAN added: “The Easter message by FIRS does not only threaten Nigeria’s delicate unity, but also undermines the efforts of many Nigerians working towards fostering mutual respect among diverse religious groups.
“As a nation that prides itself on religious harmony and peaceful coexistence, we are deeply concerned by the recurrence of provocative messages around religious holidays.
“This year, a public institution, which should be the bastion of exemplary conduct, has been implicated in disseminating content that is widely regarded as offensive and derogatory to the Christian faith.
“Such messages not only threaten the delicate fabric of our national unity, but also undermine the efforts of countless Nigerians working towards fostering mutual respect among diverse religious groups.”
CAN, while expressing its reservation, also called on public and private organisations to exercise caution and always consider the diverse religious backgrounds of Nigerian society in their communications.
In the message by its Chairman, Muhammad Nami, FIRS emphasised the need for Christians to pay their taxes as a form of religious obligation.
This attracted immediate criticism, with some people feeling that the revenue agency was insensitive and had religious biases.
It has also attracted debates over the role of government agencies in promoting religious harmony and respect for diverse beliefs in Nigeria, with critics arguing that while tax compliance is important, public messages should be inclusive and respectful of all religious groups to avoid fueling tensions in the country.
In response, Special Adviser (Media) to the FIRS, Dare Adekanmbi, in a statement on Tuesday, April 2, said as a responsible agency of government, the Service did not put out the flier purposely to denigrate Jesus Christ or “detract from the huge sacrifice He made for humanity.
“We are acutely aware that the essence of the Easter period is to celebrate this huge sacrifice.
“The message was our way of uniquely engaging taxpayers and to remind them of the need to prioritise payment of their taxes as a civic obligation. Yes, we would say the message ruffled feathers in some circles,” he stated.
FIRS said the unintended meaning being read into the post was not what “we were out to communicate as an agency,” adding: “FIRS, as a responsible agency, has no religion and will not bring down any religion or offend the sensibilities of adherents of various faiths in the country.
“Our goal is to assess, collect and account for revenue for the wellbeing of the federation. We believe it is an investment in the progress of the country when citizens pay their taxes.”
It apologised to CAN and Christians who felt offended at the unexpected consequence of the message on Easter Sunday.
