Revenue service seals telecom masts over N5.8 billion unpaid taxes

The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service, on Thursday, sealed six telecommunication masts within the state’s metropolis due to unpaid taxes totaling N5.8 billion.

Among the sealed masts were MTN servers located on Tafawa Balewa Road, Surami Road, and Etsu Road, as well as a Globacom server on Shehu Laminu Road.

Also, a general mast used by various communication services on Unguwan Rimi, Nagwamatse road was sealed.

The agency also enforced closure on the Mudassir and Brothers (Mudatex) textile materials outlet situated at Ahmadu Bello Way, owing N5.2 million for signpost advertisements.

Furthermore, Al-Babello Trading Company Limited at Panteka market, known for selling roofing sheets and iron rods, was sealed over outstanding signpost advertisement fees.

Speaking to journalists at the scene of the exercise, the agency’s Board’s Secretary and Legal Adviser, Aysha Ahmad, 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.

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Ahmad said that KADIRS derived no joy in sealing property 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 exhausted 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.