By Abiola Olawale
Keystone Bank Plc, Unity Bank, FCMB, and Chicken Republic, among other prominent companies, are facing operational issues in Kaduna State over an alleged debt owed to the state government.
This is as the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) announced ?its decision to seal off five banks and other business premises over Land Use Charge debts of N1.7 billion.
The companies’ premises sealed off were Keystone Bank Plc, Unity Bank, FCMB, Bank of Agriculture, Chicken Republic, Forte Oil, New Nigeria Development Company, GT Bank parking lot and A.G. Leventis building.
KADIRS also sealed the Hamdala Hotel for a N115 million debt.
Addressing a press briefing, the board secretary and legal adviser of the KADIRS, Aysha Ahmad, maintained that the enforcement exercise was based on the provisions of the law.
She said the agency is exercising its power in line with Section 104 of the Personal Income Tax Act.
She added that the exercise was also backed by Section 24 Sub-Sections (1, 2, and 3) of the Kaduna State Tax Codification and Consolidation Law, 2020, as amended.
Ahmad said that the accumulated land-based revenue (LUC) liabilities were established by the Kaduna State Geographic Information Service (KADGIS).
She added that the service had sent request notices to the businesses, which did not yield positive responses or compliance.
She stated: “So, we have to resort to enforcement to collect what is due for the state.
”A court order for the immediate closure and taking over of the entire properties until all unpaid land-based revenue liabilities are settled had been secured.”
