Kehinde Fajobi
Former Senator Shehu Sani has criticised the Enugu State government for imposing a mortuary tax, stating that it “means people can no longer rest in peace.”
Sani expressed his disapproval in a post on the X platform (@ShehuSani) on Sunday.
The controversy arose after the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) introduced a ₦40 daily tax on corpses that are not buried within 24 hours of death.
Sani’s post read: “Taxing dead bodies in Enugu finally means people can no longer rest in peace.”
In response to the backlash, the state government clarified that the tax was not a revenue-generating measure but was intended to discourage prolonged storage of bodies in mortuaries.
The Executive Chairman of ESIRS, Mr Emmanuel Nnamani, explained that the tax was in line with the Births, Deaths and Burials Law of Enugu State.
“The sum of ₦40 only is to be paid by owners of a corpse once it is not buried within 24 hours. The amount continues to count daily,” Nnamani said.
He further instructed mortuary attendants to ensure that the tax is paid before the release of the body for burial.
The circular from ESIRS also noted that payments should be remitted to the Enugu State IGR Account at any commercial bank under the mortuary tax.