KADUNA GOVT THREATENS BANKS OVER TAX LAWS DEFAULT

In its quest to ensure full compliance with its tax laws, the Kaduna state government has threatened to go the extra mile with defaulters.


This was made known by the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KDIRS) when it threatened to seal any bank operating in the state for failure to pay its communication mast and Signage fees as required by law.

KDRIS, through its Legal Adviser, Francis Kozah made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna, Thursday when he said that the defaulting banks have been given two weeks to pay or be sealed.

Francis Kozah explained that the Kaduna State Tax Codification and Consolidation Law 2016 provided that all bank branches operating in the state with communication mast and synergy were to pay certain fees.

He, however, said that with the exception of UBA, most of the banks have failed to pay, particularly for 2016 and 2017.

"We have served them demand notices, Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency equally served them, asking them to come and settle their liabilities but they have failed to do so".

"At the moment, we have finished preparing our documents and we will take them to court in the next two weeks".

"We will seek for an order of the court to seal off all defaulting banks in the state", he said.

The KDRIS Legal Adviser advised the banks, to, in their own interest, settle the liabilities to avoid embarrassment.

He also said that 32 other people would soon be charged to court for tax evasion.

Kozah advised taxpayers to pay their taxes, stressing that the board would prosecute any company or individual that failed to do so.

It could be recalled that KADIRS had on Tuesday dragged 23 people to a Kaduna Magistrates’ Court for alleged failure to pay their Personal Income Tax from 2013 to 2015.

(NAN)