Revenue board seals Chinese companies, NNPC subsidiaries over ‘tax evasion’

The Niger State Board of Internal Revenue has sealed up Chinese companies and subsidiaries of the Nigeria National Petroleum Limited (NNPC) over tax evasion.

The sealed NNPC depots were those of Pago, along Minna-Paiko Road, Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company Limited, also a subsidiary of NNPC limited in Izom, and Nigerian pipelines and storage company Limited, Maje and Suleja depots. 

Other places sealed were Chinese companies: Lian Hua Quarry Company Limited and Hua Tai Quarry Company Limited, both in Madalla, Suleja Local Government as well as Madalla Hotel and some indigenous electronics shops in Minna, among others. 

The team leader, Ismaila Usman Yelwa, said the affected companies and businesses failed to pay taxes for several years. 

“We conducted an audit exercise and they were served with notice. But after several correspondences were sent to them to respond and make payments, they did not. So, they are considered to be tax defaulters and that is why we deployed Section 104 of personal income tax to seal their offices and premises for them to come forward to clear their tax liabilities,” he said. 

Yelwa said the board would not hesitate to bring tax defaulters to book.