The Benin office of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been sealed up by the Edo Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) over tax liabilities amounting to N97, 423, 091: 00.
The office of the NDDC has been under lock and key for four weeks, following an order by an Edo State High Court, presided over by Justice Joseph Acha.
Acha granted prayers of the Edo Revenue Board to “distrain upon any land, premises or place. Of business belonging to the NDDC on. Muritala Mohammed Way, by Uwa Street junction, Benin City,” following the Commission’s inability to settle it’s tax liabilities.
“The Applicant is authorized and permitted to distrain against any movable goods, chattels, bonds or securities or any kind of property belonging to the Respondent in satisfaction of their outstanding tax liabilities in the sum of N97, 423, 091,” the Court held.
The Director of Intelligence of EIRS, Mr. Victor Okuber, told journalists that a tax audit carried out on the NDDC between 2005 and 2011 on the basis of witholding and PAYE taxes amounted to N36 million. He added that NDDC failed to pay until April, 2015.
Okuber also disclosed that by the time the NDDC paid the N36 million, another audit carried out in 2012 put its tax liabilities at N74 million, adding that the accrued interest and penalty raised that amount to N97 million.
When contacted on phone, Edo State representative on the NDDC Board, Peter Enogieru, confirmed the sealing of the office premises over their inability to settle the tax liabilities of the Commission to the State government.
As at the time of filling this report on Tuesday, the main gate of the premises was locked, with a red tape crossing it and a destraining order pasted on it.