For saying that “Jesus Paid Your Debts, Not Your Taxes,” CAN demands an apology from FIRS. Message for Easter

According to Punch, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has been asked by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to publicly apologize to Christians over an Easter message that it believes to be offensive to their sensibilities. “Jesus paid your debts, not your taxes” was the caption of a photo of a Point of Sale (POS) machine that the FIRS tweeted on its official X (previously Twitter) profile, @FIRSNigeria. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>

Not unsurprisingly, the post generated a flurry of reactions from Nigerians, particularly Christians, who found it offensive to their faith.

Although the FIRS had since selected the post, the National Director of National Issues and Social Welfare of CAN, Abimbola Ayuba, in a statement on Tuesday, demanded an apology for it, while urging President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the DSS to note the incident and guide the FIRS to stick only to messaging that promote unity and peace.

Ayuba’s statement read in part, “In the light of recent events, we call upon the management of the FIRS to retract the message and offer a public apology for the distress caused.”

According to Ayuba, Easter is a sacred observance for Christians that should not be trivialized by juxtaposing it with civic obligations, adding that religious convictions are at the heart of our identity and should be given the utmost respect.

The statement, therefore, advised public and private organizations to endeavor to craft their communications with a clear understanding of the diverse religious backgrounds of the Nigerian society. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>