Fred Itua, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has confirmed the interrogation of former chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler, over alleged multibillion alleged fraud
Confirming the development, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said Fowler honoured an invitation extended to him by the agency and reported at the Lagos office, yesterday.
But he did not reveal if he would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigation.
In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari queried Fowler over worsening tax collection.
Late Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, had said the presidency “observed significant variances between budgeted collections and actual collections for the period 2015 to 2018.”
In 2015, FIRS set N4.7 trillion target but was only able to make N3.7 trillion in actual collection. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, the target collections were N4.2 trillion, N4.8 trillion and N6.7 trillion, but the actual collections were N3.3 trillion, N4.0 trillion and N5.3 trillion, respectively
Worried by the variances, Kyari asked Fowler for an explanation “for the variances between the budgeted collections and actual collections for each main tax item for each of the years 2015 to 2018.”
Similarly, in 2019, nine senior officials of FIRS were detained over alleged multi-billion naira fraud.
Fowler’s time at FIRS was marked by controversy, alleged fraud, skewed appointment and recruitment in favour of a section of the country.
He also have allegation of over N100 billion tax evasion levelled against a tax firm, Alpha Beta Consulting, to contend with.
The said company is allegedly owned by former Lagos governor and leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.
A former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Alpha Beta Consulting, Dapo Apara, had petitioned the EFCC accusing the firm of tax fraud to the tune of N100 billion.