By: Tolulope Oluwole
Acting on the High Court Order, delivered by the State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Wlliams Akintoroye on the 18th of May, 2022, the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service, ODIRS, on Monday sealed three companies in Ore, Odigbo local government area of the state for defaulting in payment of taxes; SUNSHINETRUTH can report.
The affected companies includes: Woda mountain investment limited (A Quarry company), Ajiwogbo Sawmill and Optimal Energy Filling station.
Report indicates that some soldiers at the Quarry site prevented and held the ODIRS enforcement team hostage for severally before the intervention of authorities from above.
The enforcement team later carried out its duty by sealing off the company.
According to Barrister Adebayo Ogunsuyi, the Head of Legal Department, Ondo State Internal Revenue Service, it is the constitutional and legal duty of everyone and companies to pay tax, including limited companies.
Ogunsuyi noted that some are collectable by the federal government, some by the state government and some by the local government and all the taxes are being backed up by the law, both the collection and the enforcement.
The legal Head stressed that Woda quarry company is one of the largest quarry companies in Nigeria, owing Ondo state government a sum of two hundred and seventeen million naira (N217,000,000) and has refused to pay till date despite efforts by the Revenue Agency.
He added that the company had been served notice twice and had refused to honour same, while the management of the company had been invited to the ODIRS office to come and give necessary information about their tax compliance but they didn’t come.
Ogunsuyi explained that the quarry company and other defaulter were also given demand notice and their case was later taken to court due to no response from them and the court gave the order to seal the company for defaulting in the payment of tax.
He pointed that the enforcement exercise in Ore would be a statewide against all defaulters and the law states that one can be enforced based on a court order for nonpayment of tax, adding that the affected defaulters would have to visit the ODIRS office to settle their tax liability and thereafter, proceed to court to lift the court order.
Meanwhile, some military officers guarding misbehaved towards the ODIRS officials and journalists at the site, saying they have no rights to lock up the quarry company.
