Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKIRS), has sealed off the premises of Union Bank PLC at Ijigbo in Ado-Ekiti, on the orders of an Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital, over failure to pay a sum of N1.1million (One Million, One Hundred Thousand) as taxes on its business premises.
The EKIRS, in a statement signed by its Executive Chairman, Eleazar Olumuyiwa Ogunmilade, on Thursday, in Ado-Ekiti, clarified that the Government went through due process and commendable restrains before sealing off the premises.
The bank was duly served with the demand notice for the sum of N1.1million (One Million, One Hundred Thousand) by the State Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry but failed to make required remittance within the time frame of the notice.
The bank neither made any objection to the demand notice nor any payment until the period of grace lapsed which informed the decision of the State Government to obtain a Court order to persuade the erring bank to offset the debt.
The EKIRS, however, stated that while the State Government is committed to the development of the private sector, tax evasion will not be tolerated, it emphasised.