FIRS shuts firms in Abuja, Asaba, Lagos, Onitsha

Some companies have been shut by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as it resumed its tax enforcement exercise in Lagos, Abuja, Asaba and Onitsha yesterday.

In Abuja, the FIRS team, led by Chinazo Edeh, sealed off Urban Shelter Limited, a property development firm, located in the Wuse Zone 5 Area 

for allegedly owing N637 million in arrears of taxes accumulated from 2008 to 2016.

Mohammed Sanni, Tax Liason Officer of Urban Shelter, said the company has submitted a payment plan which was yet to be approved to FIRS. 

Edeh, however, said the company must pay at least 50 per cent of its tax liabilities to avoid its premises being sealed. 

The company was subsequently sealed as the managers could not make the payment.

In Lagos, the FIRS team, led by Anita Erinne, shut the premises of Venro Energy Limited, over a tax debt of N29million as well as the office of Enegas. Both firms are in Ikoyi.

A woman, who attended to the team, caused a mild drama, when she said the company did not have money to pay the N15million debt it owes. Erinne told her to instruct staff members to vacate their offices within 10 minutes. The woman, however, refused to vacate her own office, telling FIRS officials that they were being unfair. She eventually agreed to leave her office and the company was shut.

In Asaba, FIRS sealed the premises of Davnotch Nigeria Limited for failure to meet its tax obligations over four years. The team, led by Ruth Mandeun, wielding a warrant of distraint, ordered the staff members to vacate the premises.

Between 2011 and 2015 Davnotch allegedly owed N34.5million tax arrears. 
The few workers in the office made unsuccessful attempts to contact the managing director and top management staff, who were absent during the operation.