* it’s political, says Akala
Oyo state government on Thursday sealed off a property belonging to a former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, and ten others including one belonging to the National Horticultural Research Institute, (NIHORT) in Ibadan.
Men of the state Board of Internal Revenue with heavy security agents stormed the property popularly called Itesiwaju House, which is located at No. 32, Oba Adebimpe Road, Dugbe, Ibadan around 12pm, and sealed off the property after presenting a letter from the Board to one of the staff on duty.
Other affected companies are: Agril Nigeria Limited, Bevpak, Fleet, Heineman Educational Books, Mansard Insurance, Merck Pharmaceuticals and Pixels Digital System.
Others are: Vintage Rock Nigeria Limited, Virgo Services Nigeria Limited, and Wakanow.com limited, among others.
Speaking on the revenue drive, the Chairman, Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue, (OYBIR), Mr. Bicci Alli, explained that the organisations defaulted in tax remittances from as early as 2003.
He said government’s concern was to ensure that all taxes, dues and revenues acrruable to the coffers of the state government are duly paid.
In a swift reaction, the former governor through his media aide, Jeremiah Akande, said the action was politically motivated.
The property, according to the former governor’s aide, which is worth over N3billion, is currently under lock and key while most of the shop owners and some customers locked inside the business complex.
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