Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the daughter of All Progressives Congress leader Bola Tinubu and 5 others have been barred by a Lagos state high court from imposing levies on traders at the Computer Village, Lagos.
This is coming a year after the traders embarked on a protest after Folasade who is also the Iyaloja-General of Lagos State, reportedly imposed leaders on them who introduced new levies.
Punch reported that the order which is sequel to a fundamental human rights suit marked ID/9039MFHR/19, also barred Mrs. Bisola Azeez, Mr. Adeniyi Olasoji, Nofiu Akinsanya, Tony Ikani and the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State from imposing such levies.
The judgment which Justice Yetunde Pinheiro delivered, read in part;
“I find that the 2nd and 3rd respondents’ imposition of levies on the applicants is illegal, null and void and therefore amounts to a violation of their fundamental rights.
“Accordingly, it is hereby ordered as thus: The first to fifth respondents by themselves, agents, levy collectors howsoever called are restrained from imposing levies and fines on the members of the 1st to 5th applicants at the Ikeja Computer Village in the Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State.”
In the letter titled, ‘Dear members, Our Court Victory against Iyaloja and Babaloja and Others in Computer Village, Ikeja’ and signed by the stakeholders’ Chairman and Secretary-General, Timi Famoroti and Jerry Mba, members were asked not to pay tax to Tinubu’s daughter or her representatives.
It read;
“This landmark judgement implies that the Iyaloja General, Chief Mrs. Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, Mrs. Bisola Azeez, And Mr. Olasoji Adeniyi or their representatives or agents cannot collect any form of dues, levies or fines from the members of Ikeja Computer Village Market. Any collection in this regard is illegal.
“We, therefore, urge you not to submit yourself to any form of payment, intimidation and extortion. It is your right to defend yourself and report to your leaders if there is a violation of your fundamental human rights.
“Please ensure you document with concrete evidence and report any breach of your right to your leaders. This will help our legal action/s against any violators when necessary. We, therefore, urge every member to continue to pay your agreed dues to your various associations accordingly.”
Traders were also asked to pay their personal and company income, taxes, levies and others to the appropriate government agencies at the national, state and local governments when due.
