Nine companies operating in Utesi Community, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, have had their industrial premises sealed by the Edo State Internal Revenue Service over alleged unpaid tax liabilities totalling N8.9bn.
The companies, predominantly Chinese-owned, were accused of failing to register their employees for Pay-As-You-Earn tax, file annual employers’ tax returns and deduct and remit PAYE taxes.
The EIRS Head of Corporate Communications and Taxpayers Enlightenment Service, Courage Eboigbe, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Eboigbe said the companies had been formally notified of their established tax liabilities before the enforcement action.
He added that despite repeated reminders and demands for compliance, the companies failed to settle their outstanding obligations, prompting the agency to obtain valid court orders to seal their operational premises.
He said, “The EIRS sealed off the industrial premises of Rongtai Plastic Company Limited and eight other corporate entities operating in the Utesi Community of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, over an unremmitted tax liability totaling N8.982bn.
“The enforcement orders will remain in effect, and the seals will only be removed upon settlement of all outstanding tax liabilities by the defaulting companies,” he added.
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