Despite owing N362.3m electricity bill, FIRS seals AEDC’s HQ

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) yesterday sealed the headquarters of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

The closure which occurred around 1pm led to emergency evacuation of staff of the company despite the drizzling in the city.

Some of the staff of the company were seen leaving the premises as police officers brought by FIRS kept guard.

Recall that AEDC last month published the names of government agencies owing electricity bills, while the list did not include FIRS, another it published in January, had FIRS in its debtors with an outstanding bill of N362,387,502.

Daily Trust could not ascertain if the bill had increased or decreased. But when contacted on the tax laws violated by FIRS for the closure of its office, the Special Adviser, Media, to the Chairman of FIRS, Zach Adedeji, urged our reporter to get the reason for the sealing from AEDC.

He said, “Don’t allow them to use you. Before FIRS will carry out an enforcement, it would have issued the company a notice on the tax law they violated. Let them tell you what they did. They should have a spokesperson, so contact the person.”

But when the spokesperson of AEDC, Adefisayo Akinsanya, was contacted on phone, she said she was in a meeting and that a text should be sent to her. But she failed to respond to the message.

However, a staff of the company told our reporter that the action was due to the company owing some tax. The staff said the company had earlier reached out to FIRS on how to deduct the tax from the bill it was owing.

He said, “We were surprised by their action because a meeting was held between the two organisations a few weeks back to fashion how the matter can be settled amicably. I believe it is a show of strength. The office will be opened for us. They just want to make a statement to us through force.”