FIRS Arrests Heads Of Tax Defaulting Firms

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says it has arrested some senior officials of three companies in Lagos for alleged failure to remit taxes totalling N2.17 billion.

A statement issued by the service in Abuja on Sunday said an enforcement team led by an Assistant Director of Legal and Prosecution Department of FIRS, Mr. Abu Stephen, carried out the arrests.

The statement listed, at least, seven companies which allegedly failed to remit arrears of taxes accruing to government.

The affected companies were accused of withholding Company Income Tax (CIT), Education Tax (EDT), Withholding Tax (WHT) and Value Added Tax (VAT).

Among the alleged defaulting companies are Pivot Engineering Ltd (N609, 911,992:36), Reliance Telecommunications Ltd (N592, 756,627:00), HITV Ltd (N309,500,065:55) and UTC Nigeria Plc, N277,589,163:74

Others are Sweet Sensation Confectionary Ltd (N155, 483,013:00), Entertainment Highway Ltd, N197, 444,964:55 and John Holt Nig. Ltd, N33, 073,487:52.

The service said the companies had failed to comply with series of notice on them to pay outstanding tax liabilities.

The statement said some of the companies admitted their outstanding tax liabilities when the enforcement team called at their offices.

“For instance, Mr. Opedemowo Olayemi, the Chief Accountant of Sweet Sensation Confectionary Ltd, said the company was owing to the tune of N60 million for VAT alone.

“Also, Mr. Dada Arokoyu of UTC and Mr. Muyiwa Fojude of Pivot agreed that their companies had outstanding tax liability to settle with the FIRS.