FIRS to access computers, PoS of taxable persons, firms

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has said it will soon begin to access computers and electronic storages belonging to taxable individuals through its Automated Tax Administration Solution.

According to an advertorial signed by the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Muhammad Nami, the agency said the new directive is in line with Section 25(4) of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act 2007 as amended by section 51 of Finance Act 2019.

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The new action is expected to start by May 1, 2021, being 30 days from today Wednesday, March 31, 2021.

It said: “The Federal Inland Revenue Service (the FIRS) shall, not earlier than 30 days from the date of publication of this notice, begin to connect its Automated Tax Administration System to access, for tax purposes, relevant records, data or information stored or otherwise residing in computers or other electronic devices (including cloud computing facilities) maintained, operated, controlled or owned by relevant persons or their agents.”

The service will connect at the relevant point of sales (POS) or invoicing platforms of all taxable individuals and firms who are ‘required to grant FIRS access to all computers, electronic devices or cloud computing facilities wherein records, data or information are stored or otherwise residing (Section 26, FIRS Act).’

FIRS then urged persons of interest to grant FIRS access to such platforms and failure of which would attract penalties as prescribed in Section 26(3) of the FIRS Establishment Act.

When contacted for clarification, the Director, Communication and Liaison at FIRS, Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad, asked our reporter to get back to him later.

Daily Trust did a check on the provisions of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act 2007 as amended by section 51 of Finance Act 2019 which revealed that the finance act referred to is 2020 and not 2019.

However, the provision of section 26 (3) FIRS Act 2007 corroborates the amended section 25 of the Finance Act 2020 that provides the sanction for a defaulter.

“A person who contravenes the provisions of this section is, in respect of each offence, liable on conviction to a fine equivalent to 100 per cent of the amount of the tax liability.”