By Ken Afor
Officials of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) have sealed off several telecommunication masts belonging to MTN, Globacom, and Airtel in the state.
This move came after the companies allegedly failed to remit taxes amounting to N5.8 billion to the state government.
In a statement issued by the Head of Corporate Communications of Kaduna IRS, Mr. Zakari Muhammad, on Thursday, May 2, 2024, such measures became necessary to ensure compliance and fairness in tax collection across all businesses operating in Kaduna State.
Muhammad said: “Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service, in the exercise of its powers vested in it by Section 104 of the Personal Income Tax Act, has sealed up the following masts due to huge tax liabilities as established by Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA).
“The sealed masts include the MTN mast (IHS) at Tafawa Balewa Way, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna; the GLO mast at Shehu Laminu road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna and the MTN mast (IHS) at Surami road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna.”
“Others include MTN Mast (IHS) at Etsu Road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna, MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9-Mobile Masts (ATC) at Nagwamatse Road, Kaduna, MTN (IHS) at Nagwamatse road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna and an MTN mast (IHS) at Shehu Laminu road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna.”
Shedding more light on the development, Mrs Aisha Ahmad, the Secretary and Legal Adviser of the KADIRS Board, stated that the revenue service had no choice but to take enforcement actions, as authorised by law, to compel compliance from the telecom companies.
“We were left with no choice but to exercise the legal powers vested in us to enforce tax compliance,” Mrs Ahmad said.
She emphasised that citizens and businesses have a duty to fulfill their tax obligations to the state.
Clarifying that the enforced collection was viewed as a last resort by the authorities, Ahmad said the move by the state government is geared towards achieving an ambitious revenue target of N120 billion for the current fiscal year.
