Agency goes tough on tax defaulters, shuts down 10 companies

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has shut down business activities of 10 companies that defaulted in remitting their taxes to the Federal Government.

According to a statement issued on Monday, May 2, by the state coordinator of the FIRS in Rivers, Edo and Delta states, Mr. Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, the tax agency sealed off the business premises of the companies in line with the directive of the FIRS management to ensure zero-tolerance for tax evasion.

He said the FIRS is determined to recover all liabilities from all defaulting taxpayers by all means, noting that the agency will arrest the chief executive officers and directors of the defaulting companies if necessary.

“This exercise is being carried out throughout the country and will be enforced in all the three states within my jurisdiction starting with Rivers, followed by Edo and Delta states," the statement read.

“My simple advice to the tax-paying public is that they should quickly go to the FIRS office nearest to them to file their returns, reconcile and pay up any outstanding liabilities to avoid unnecessary embarrassment because FIRS is determined to collect every kobo due to government.

“We want to stop the lukewarm attitude to paying taxes. Time has changed and the attitude towards the payment of taxes must change."

READ: FIRS targets N4.9 trillion tax revenue in 2016

Thomas stressed that tax is the only sustainable revenue source that can help government fulfill its obligations.