The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed strong offense at the Easter message shared by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and has demanded an apology for what it perceives as derogatory remarks towards the Christian faith.
The controversy arose when the FIRS posted an Easter message on its social media platforms featuring a point of sales (PoS) machine with the caption, “Jesus paid your debt, not your taxes.”
In response, CAN’s National Director for National Issues and Social Welfare, Abimbola Ayuba, issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the message as offensive to Christian believers.
Ayuba stated, “This year, a public institution, which should exemplify exemplary conduct, has been implicated in disseminating content that is widely regarded as offensive and derogatory to the Christian faith.”
Ayuba emphasized that such messaging not only undermines national unity but also hampers efforts aimed at fostering mutual respect among religious groups in Nigeria.
“In light of recent events, we call upon the management of the FIRS to retract the message and issue a public apology for the distress caused,” CAN demanded.