Pulse.ng : Kaduna Internal Revenue Service seals 7 telecom masts over N5.8bn unpaid taxes

By Sani Idris

The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) on Thursday sealed seven telecommunication masts within the state’s metropolis over N5.8 billion unpaid taxes.

The telecommunication masts comprised of MTN servers at Tafawa Balewa road, Surami road, Etsu road while GLOBACOM server and one other at Shehu Laminu road, and a general mast (ATC) for various of the communication servers at Unguwan Rimi, Nagwamatse road.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that KADIRS also sealed the popular Mudassir and Brothers (Mudatex) textile materials outlet at Ahmadu Bello Way, over an outstanding N5.2 million for sign post advertisement.

The agency also sealed Al-Babello Trading Company Ltd at the famous Panteka market, reputed for selling roofing sheets, iron rods and other building materials over undisclosed unpaid sign posts advertisements.

Speaking to newsmen at the sideline of the exercise, Mrs Aysha Ahmad, the KADIRS Board’s Secretary and Legal Adviser, said the exercise was aimed at enforcing compliance by the companies that failed to discharge their civic responsibilities of tax payment.

“As usual, we are left with no option than the powers vested on us by the law to enforce compliance. This is why we are restraining on the premises,”she said.

Ahmad said that KADIRS derived no joy in sealing properties or business arenas of tax defaulters, stressing that the payment of taxes was a civic responsibility of every citizen.

She equally said that they encouraged voluntary compliance, which was why they exhaust all possible means before enforcement being the final step.

Speaking further, the board secretary said the enforcement was part of their process to achieve the N120 billion revenue target set by the Kaduna State Government.

She, therefore, called on the people of the state to ensure voluntary tax compliance, describing it as a civic responsibility.

Also, Shamsuddeen Lere, the Legal Adviser of the Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Authority (KASUPDA), said both agencies had served the defaulters with notices, which they declined compliance.

“The monies belong to the state government, we are coming after all the defaulters,”he vowed.(NAN)