With Matthew Denis
In a bid to drive compliance to tax payment, the Kwara state Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) on Wednesday sealed two Skye Bank branches in Ilorin over tax default for non compliance.
The branches sealed were the post office and Challenge axis of Ilorin metropolis.
Recalled that the Revenue House is poised to rake in a whopping sum of N38 billion as its budget target for the 2018 year.
The legal and Enforcement team led by the Director of the Unit, Barr. Lateef Okandeji escorted by the Nigeria Police swung into action as early as 7: 16am thereby sealing bank off.
Staffers of the bank while resuming work were seen hanging outside the bankโs premises for hours. While hundreds of customers who came to carryoutย transaction were also stranded during the exercise.
Speaking on the development, Barr. Okandeji said ” the action followed a judgment delivered on 22nd January 2018.
“Withholding tax is a 10 percent charge on interests, dividends and rents that companies collect on behalf of the government. The Bank had failed to remit statutory taxes, including withholding taxes on bank interest for 2 years in the sum of Thirty Million, Sixty Eight Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy One Naira (N30, 068, 471.22).
He stressed that the action was the last resort after series of dialogue with officials of Skye Bank on their outstanding established liability on Withholding Tax on Bank Interest for the years 2013 and 2014 failed to yield results.
The Director noted that the Agency had resorted to lawful means to ensure compliance with statutory tax remittances, warning that any company found to have evaded tax would not be spared.
Okandeji noted that after this action and the bank fails to comply by paying the money, the revenue house might resort to selling movable properties of the bank.
This medium later visited the bank and discovered that normal activities resumed aroundย 11.am.
