Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, FCT-IRS, has sealed Regency Hotels, a school and three business premises over tax evasion.
Its Acting Director, Legal Services, Mr Festus Tsavsar, who led the enforcement team, explained that the closure of the premises was in line with a court order obtained by IRS.
The school and businesses premises are Gratias International School, Rural and Urban Homes Ltd, Trevari International Company and Phenomenon International Company.
Tsavsar explained that the hotel and businesses premises contravened FCT tax laws by refusing to file their annual returns, despite issuing several notices, including court summons.
“Today, we went out to execute the court order, which directed FCT-IRS to seal the premises of defaulting taxpayers that were brought before it.
“We have been able to effectively comply with the court order by sealing the premises as directed.
“We went to Gratias International School located in Games Village, Kaura, and sealed it.
“The offence they committed was refusal to file their annual returns despite many notices, including a court summon but the school management refused to comply.
“We were at their premises and the management refused to attend to us. They refused to open their doors despite many calls for them to do so to enable us enforce the court order,” he said.
He expressed concern over the continued refusal by the school’s management to comply with the tax law, adding that the action was simply tax evasion, which he described as a criminal offence.
He added that to worsen the case, the management had changed their name to DGIS College to evade tax payment.
“This is also a criminal offence. The school has not been paying taxes at all and also refused to file their annual returns since establishment,” he said.
From the school, the team proceeded to Residency Hotels, No. 4, Port Harcourt Crescent, Area II, Garki, where it was also sealed for not filing annual returns.
“From there we went to seal Rural Urban Homes in Utako and two business premises inside Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, namely Trevari International Company and Phenomenon International Company,” he said.
He warned the affected business owners against any attempt to unseal the premises and advised them to go to court to obtain a court order before they could do so.
“If they go against the court order and unseal the premises themselves, they have committed a criminal offence and the court will order their arrest.
“They will be prosecuted in line with the tax law, particularly Section 81 of Personal Income Tax Law and upon conviction, they will be jailed for six months in addition to a fine,” he added.
Tsavsar equally warned that FCT-IRS would go after all tax defaulting companies and individuals, and advised taxpayers to comply with the existing tax laws, pay their taxes and file their annual returns.
“This is also a criminal offence. The school has not been paying taxes at all and also refused to file their annual returns since establishment,” he said.
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