LG Officials Kill 38-Year-Old Widow In Ondo State Over Tax

A petty trader, Mrs. Toyin Adelanke, has reportedly died when tax officials from Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State wanted

to collect tax from her. Her 89-year-old mother, Mrs. Abike Ijiyemi, told journalists yesterday that Toyin planned to give her food the day she died in the hands of the tax collectors.

Toyin (38) reportedly died while the tax officials were trying to seize her television for failure to pay tax. It was learnt that Toyin fell down while dragging her television with the government officials which they wanted to seize because she did not pay the money demanded from her. The local government officials were said to have taken the television to their vehicle and left without attending to the woman.

It was also learnt that the woman died later and her remains were deposited at the morgue of the State Specialist Hospital, Akure. However, Toyin’s distraught mother told journalists at Idanre in Idanre Local Government that: “In the morning of the day she was killed, she called me and said that she had bought some foodstuffs for me. She promised to bring them to me at Idanre the second day. Instead of coming to fulfil her promise, it was the announcement of her death they brought to me.

“My daughter was a widow. Her husband died four years ago. She has been singlehandedly taking care of their only child since then. She was the one who sponsored the education of their 24-year-old son up to the Gateway Polytechnic in Ogun State. She was the person taking care of me and paying my debts. Also, Toyin’s sister, Mrs. Mojisola Otitilowo, said the deceased was in her shop at Bolajoko Street, Oke-Aro area of Akure about 2p.m. when the government officials invaded her shop.

She said: “They were four in number. Three of them disembarked from the vehicle they brought. “They did not accept her plea. One of them removed the television from where it was but Toyin started dragging it with them.

She fell down. Despite that, the council officials went away with the television. “A woman, who came to buy sachet water, discovered that Toyin was unconscious where she lay on the floor of the shop and raised the alarm which attracted neighbours who rushed in and started pouring water on Toyin to revive her.

“When it was realised that Toyin had given up the ghost, the matter was reported at the Police B Division, Oke-Aro.” Toyin’s son, Ayodele Adelanke, demanded that his mother’s killers be brought to book, saying she must not die in vain. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Joseph, who confirmed the incident, described it as unfortunate. Joseph said some suspects had been arrested over Toyin’s killing.