By Amos Tauna
Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service, KDRIS, in northwest Nigeria, has obtained an order of the court to seal off the premises of Kaduna Electric and five other companies for failure to pay tax amounting to N216,367,453.64.
The Executive Chairman of KDIRS, Muktar Ahmed, made this known to newsmen in Kaduna, explained that Kaduna Electric Distribution Company premises, known as Electricity House, No 1-2, Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna, would be sealed off for not settling outstanding Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax liability to the tune of N210.6 million.
He added that Rosehill Luxury Ltd known as Deluxe Suite at No 3, Ali Akilu Road, Kaduna would also be sealed for not settling N2,181,888.32 PAYE tax liability from 2011 to 2012.
Katsina Ventures Petroleum at Marabar Jos, Zaria Road Kaduna, he said, belonging to one Alh. Nuhu Katsina, for not settling N905, 608.56 outstanding tax assessment for 2012 to 2015 would be sealed off.
The Executive Chairman said Value Oil Petroleum at Nnamdi Azikiwe Way, Kaduna, belonging to one Alh. Abdullahi Adams, for not settling N905, 608.56 outstanding tax assessment for 2012 to 2015 would be sealed off.
Similarly, he stressed that Mashasha Petroleum at Nnamdi Azikiwe Way, Kaduna, belonging to one Alh. Mohammed Danlami, would equally be sealed for not settling N905, 608.56 outstanding tax assessment for 2012 to 2015.
Another company belonging to one Alh. Abubakar Sidi, Sidi Global Petrol at Zaria, would also be sealed by the service for not settling N800,000 outstanding tax assessment for 2012 to 2015.
According to Ahmed, the service had liaised with all relevant stakeholders to seal the premises of the affected companies by next week.
He said that the state would no longer tolerate the negative culture of not paying tax.
“Currently, tax payers are owing the state government N5 billion tax. “We would use all legal means at our disposal to ensure that all unremitted tax are paid.
“We have over 50 tax related ongoing cases at various courts in the state and any one who fails to pay his tax as at when due would be prosecuted, “he emphasized.
The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service had recently threatened to seal all banks operating in the state that failed to pay its communication mast and Signage fees as required by law.
