Osun tackles Dangote over N1.5bn tax evasion

The Osun State Government on Thursday sealed off a quarry reportedly belonging to Dangote Group over alleged tax evasion.

The Special Adviser to Gov. Rauf Aregbesola on Tax and Revenue Matters, Mr Gbenga Akano, who led other officials of the state Internal Revenue Service to the quarry site, said the company owed the state government N1.5 billion tax.

The quarry site is located at Ajebandele in Ayedaade Local Government Area of the state.

Akano said that several letters of demand were written to the company without any result. He said the company left the state government with no other option than to shut down the site, after several meetings held with management proved abortive.

Akano said that attempts by some suspected hoodlums to prevent officials of the state government from sealing off the quarry site failed.

He said they were able to shut down the quarry in spite of sporadic shooting by the suspected thugs.

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Akano said the state government would continue to clamp down on all illegal mining and tax evaders in the state.

“They are operating on our land unlawfully.

“We learnt that the company was paying into the purse of Ogun State Government while operating on Osun land.

““I think this is not fair and I am assuring you that there is no boundary dispute with Ogun State Government at all on this parcel of land,’’ Akano said.