Officials of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has shut five businesses in Onitsha, Anambra State for tax evasion amounting to a tax liability of N235m.
The FIRS enforcement team led by Mr. Chinazor Edeh noted that the exercise became necessary to discourage the activities of those who serially sabotage the economy of the country by evading their tax obligations.
The enforcement drive was kick-started from the Building Materials International Market at Ogbunike.
The operatives of the service sealed up the business office of Solchez International Limited whose tax liability stood at N32 million in default of its tax obligations from 2008-2012.
The enforcement team then moved to Mid-field West Africa Limited. The company was sealed for defaulting in tax obligations to the tune of N11million from 2009-2014.
Felixo International Hotel limited, Oba was sealed next for its non compliance with the demand notice to defray it’s tax liability from 2007-2014. The hotel is owing a tax bill of N15million.
Also sealed was Ekwenibe & Sons Trading Company Limited with tax liability of 78 million.
The enforcement team leader, Chibuzor Edeh noted that for all the affected businesses, several reminders of their liabilities which they mostly ignored were served before it became necessary to enforce payment.
Commenting on the development, the Tax Controller, Mr. Ukar Okereke stressed that as a matter principle, all stipulated procedures were exhaustively adhered to. He noted that enforcement became imperative when it was obvious that the defaulting firms were not interested in living up to their tax obligations.
