Commotion as FIRS staff allegedly assault ministerial task force during attempt to unseal office

Tensions flared in Abuja on Tuesday as members of the Ministerial Joint Task Force (MJTF) were reportedly attacked by staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Headquarters during an official operation to unseal the premises.

The incident occurred following the FCTA’s enforcement action on Monday, May 26, 2025, when the FIRS building was sealed over alleged non-payment of ground rent. The sealing was part of a broader initiative by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to clamp down on property owners who have failed to meet their statutory obligations.

However, in response to a presidential directive aimed at easing tensions, the MJTF returned on Tuesday to unseal the FIRS building and other affected properties, offering a 14-day grace period for defaulters to settle their outstanding payments.

Led by officials from the Development Control Department, and accompanied by armed police officers, civil defence personnel, and other enforcement agents, the MJTF team arrived at the FIRS premises and notified security personnel of their intention to remove the official seals.

However, they discovered that most of the seals had already been removed by FIRS staff, with only one remaining. It was during this process that the alleged assault on the task force members occurred.

Tensions escalated when security personnel and staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) reportedly locked the gates of the headquarters, trapping members of the Ministerial Joint Task Force (MJTF) inside and preventing their exit.

According to eyewitnesses, FIRS staff and security personnel then violently attacked the task force team—including police officers and civil defence operatives—leaving several officials with varying degrees of injuries. One of the victims was reportedly an aide to the Director of the Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima.

Some civil defence and police officers were said to have had their uniforms torn, while others were physically assaulted and had their mobile phones forcibly seized.

Witnesses also claimed that the FIRS Chairman was present during the commotion but failed to intervene or restrain the agitated staff.

The situation was eventually brought under control after several hours, following the intervention of Director Mukhtar Galadima and a rescue team who rushed to the scene to de-escalate the violence.

Galadima, who rushed to the scene upon receiving reports of the assault, condemned the attack in strong terms, describing it as completely unacceptable. He was seen making phone calls to relevant authorities to report the incident.

One of the victims who spoke to SaharaReporters described the conduct of the FIRS staff and security personnel as “ridiculous, absurd, unacceptable, and reprehensible.”

SaharaReporters also learned that Galadima, visibly angered by the incident, formally reported the matter to higher authorities, while the assaulted officials lodged a complaint at the Intelligence Response Team Police Station in Guzape for further investigation and appropriate action.

“The FIRS staff and security attacked us today. They beat us and injured many of the Ministerial Joint Task Force members. We started the unsealing of the properties that we sealed on Monday over non-payment of ground rent,” one of the victims said.

“We started from Wuse Zone 6, and we moved down to Zone 5, but we were attacked immediately when we entered their office. The security and staff of FIRS locked us up inside their building and started beating us.”

The source said, “Some of the civil defence officers had their clothes torn to shreds, and they almost stripped one of the officers naked. We were asked to seal up those owing ground rent, which we began yesterday. So we were instructed by the Director to go and unseal the nine to 10 buildings that we sealed on Monday

“They blocked the exit and entrance access, and they said we would not be allowed to leave. The angry staff and security personnel pounced on anyone there.

“They even seized some phones, especially from the ladies. They couldn’t take phone calls from the men as they struggled, but all to no avail.”