FIRS seals Ewekoro Power Plant over unpaid N114m tax

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) have sealed off the Lagos office of Ewekoro Power Plant over unpaid tax, totalling N114 million.

The company was sealed due to accumulated arrears of taxes owed and failure to respond to repeated notices from FIRS.

Aminu Abubakar, tax controller, FIRS Medium Tax Office, Ibadan said the process which led to the eventual sealing began in 2011 when a suit under charge number FHC/AB/48C/2011: FIRS V. Ewekoro Power Plant and 2 others was instituted against the company at the Federal High Court in Abeokuta.

The company however failed to appear in court and several hearing notices were issued to it.

“Thereafter, the court issued a warrant to arrest three officers of the company who evaded arrest : Abidoye Ayoola, Musa Ojeifo and Ayodele Ademosu,on a final note, FIRS thereafter applied for an Order of Interim Forfeiture of property of Corporate head office of Ewekoro Power Plant situate at Victoria House, 35/37 Isheri road, Aguda area, Ikeja, Lagos State pending final liquidation of the Tax Liability of N114,000,000,” he said.

“The Order was granted as prayed by the Federal High court sitting in Abeokuta.”

The tax controller commended the South – West legal department of FIRS for its tireless legal battle which culminated in the eventual sealing-off.

During the raid to enforce the court order by FIRS officials, were a team of policemen and court sheriffs.

The company workers at the premises initially said they were at the wrong address and denied being the occupiers of Victoria House, 35/37 Isheri road, Aguda area, Ikeja, Lagos State

This was until the FIRS legal team identified the address was the right one adding the occupiers of the building were then asked to vacate the premises.

The FIRS team placed the company under locks and pasted the FIRS seal notices at all exit points into the premises.

Abubakar said the company could only be re-opened after another order from the same high court to the effect.

Abubakar however noted that “this means that the company must now appear in court and answer to the charges against them, pay the tax liability and then FIRS will apply that the initial order be vacated or set aside”.