FIRS arrests Ado-Poly boss, others over tax evasion

 

The Federal Inland Revenue Service on Wednesday arrested the Managing Director of the Ado-Poly Ventures Limited, Mrs. Busayo Olanipekun, for tax default.

Also arrested were the Managing Director of Danke Fast Food, Ado-Ekiti, Mr. Bayo Aina and the
Head of Credit and Marketing of Microfinance Bank, Aramoko, Mrs Ruth Adesodun, among others.

The Tax Controller of the State Office, Dr Nkwo Nwitte-Eze, said the arrest became necessary because of the sharp drop  in oil price and the need to boost the revenue of the Federal Government.

According to him, Ado-Poly Ventures Limited, a business arm of Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, owes about N1.6 million; Danke Fast Food owes N1.3 million; Pathfinder Hotels, N3.9 million while Microfinance Bank, Aramoko, is owing N1.7 million

But Olanipekun in an interview with journalists, after her release, claimed the polytechnic had earlier made a payment of N1.2 million on behalf of the Ado-Poly Ventures which did not reflect in the FIRS book.

She said, “From our correspondence, we discovered that the amount claimed is not the actual amount we are owing.  We agreed that we are owing money and we have written an undertaking on how we will settle the debt. What we are owing is N695, 000 and not N1.6 million.”

Nwitte said Olanipekun was released after making commitment to pay the balance and to confirm if the company actually paid to another department of the FIRS as claimed.

The leader of the Enforcement team, Mrs. Kelin Obaitan, advised organisations to pay their taxes.

“There is no space for tax evasion anymore. We will find defaulters and bring them to book,” she said.

--Extract from Punch News

 

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