By Dipo Olowookere
The office of Okomu Oil Palm Plc in Edo State has been sealed by officials of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Wednesday.
Also sealed was the office of Bensegba Technical Services Limited in Delta State.
Both firms were shutdown as a result of tax debt of over N8 billion.
While Okomu-Oil Palm Plc is indebted to the Federal government to the tune of N8.1 billion, Bensegba Technical Services Limited allegedly owes the FIRS about N121.2 million.
During the enforcement, the FIRS Team Leader, Enforcement Unit, Ms Anita Erinne, tendered separate ‘Warrant of Distraints’ signed by the Executive Chairman of the tax office, Mr Tunde Fowler, in exercise of powers vested in it by Section 3 of FIRS (Establishment) Act No.13 of 2007 and Section 44(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
Ms Erinne warned that until the companies meet their responsibilities with a view to liquidating their debts, no member of their staff should remove any of the FIRS seals.
She stressed that if they do, their companies will pay a fine of N200,000 to the FIRS. She urged the firms to comply with the tax laws and pay up their outstanding taxes, pointing out that the FIRS will ensure zero tolerance on defaulters.
Adedapo Adesanya