Lagos seals 14 firms over tax evasion

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has resumed sealing of companies and hospitality firms over unpaid consumption taxes, shutting 14 firms during tax law enforcement on Wednesday.
The LIRS director of legal services, Seyi Alade, said during the state-wide enforcement that two enforcement teams have been mobilised by the service.
He noted that LIRS suspended for some time, the shutting of corporate organisations and hospitality firms over unpaid taxes.
“Now, the service has resumed sealing of firms, particularly the hospitality firms. It is committed to continuing the exercise until full compliance to tax payment and remittance are achieved,” Mr Alade said.
Mr Alade claimed that less than 65 per cent of the corporate organisations operating in the state paid taxes, saying that many of them operated without any tax remittance to the government.
He called on firms to ensure up-to-date their tax payment.
Ajibike Oshodi-Sholola, Head of Distrain Unit, LIRS, said the two enforcement teams had sealed 14 hospitality firms, including restaurants, hotels and guest houses.
Mrs Oshodi-Sholola listed the sealed companies to include; Piccolomondo Restaurant, Virgin Rose Resorts, Precint Comfort Services, Villa Angelia Hotel, Debonairs Pizza, Allied Management Ltd., and Ocean Suites.
She said the others include Sabitex Hotel, LCCI Hall, Extended Stay Hotel, Monarch Gardens Ltd., La Maison Hospitality Ltd., and Villa Toscana Hotel.
According to her, the tax liabilities of the affected firms covered from 2014 to 2016, saying that they were audited for the two years but had yet to make payment.
“Before LIRS embarks on sealing, it must send two letters to the management of the affected firm, reminding it of tax liabilities.
“Both the demand notice and letter of intention to distrain were sent to the management of hospitality firms but they failed to act,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the affected firms made payments regarding their liabilities in the course of distrain and paid additional N250, 000 as the cost of the distrain.(NAN)