Kano seals Max Air headquarters over N190m tax default

Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) has taken stern action against tax defaulters, sealing the headquarters of Max Air Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading airlines, over an outstanding tax liability of N190 million.

This move is part of the state’s broader campaign to enforce tax compliance among businesses and individuals.

Madam Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Director of Debt Management and Enforcement at KIRS, explained in a press briefing on Monday that the agency had made repeated efforts to resolve the issue with Max Air through dialogue before resorting to this drastic measure.

“We issued several correspondences to Max Air requesting settlement of their tax liabilities, but there was no response. As a final measure, we obtained a court order to seal their headquarters in line with the law,” Abdullahi said.

Max Air, owned by influential businessman Dahiru Barau Mangal, is not the only company targeted by KIRS. Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company’s offices along Zaria Road were also sealed after failing to pay over N241 million in PAYE and withholding taxes for the period between 2021 and 2022.

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Additionally, Northern Rice and Oil Milling Nigeria Ltd, located in Gunduwawa Industrial Estate, was shut down for similar tax violations.

Abdullahi highlighted the critical role tax payments play in the state’s development, stressing that the enforcement actions are necessary to ensure compliance and recover the state’s tax revenues.

“Our enforcement team identified significant discrepancies in the tax payments of these companies. After multiple attempts to resolve the matter amicably, we had no choice but to take these actions,” she stated.

The KIRS is committed to ensuring that all businesses operating within Kano State meet their tax obligations as mandated by law.

Abdullahi reiterated that the enforcement is not targeted at any specific business but is part of the agency’s broader mandate to improve the state’s internally generated revenue and maintain tax integrity across sectors