Borno Internal Revenue Service (BO-IRS) yesterday sealed off 10 shopping malls where owners had allegedly failed to remit withholding tax to it after receiving notices.
Addressing Journalists in Maiduguri during the exercise, Head, Legal Services and Board Secretary, BO-IRS, Barrister Ardo Buba, said the service was left with no option but to seal off the buildings because the owners failed to remit 10 percent of their gross rental incomes as withholding tax to it.
“The exercise was in line with the Borno State harmonised law on revenue, 2020 as amended. The service decided to make enforcement on collection of withholding tax on rental income in 10 shopping malls within Maiduguri metropolis. The service had issued assessment notices, reminders and demand notices to the buildings and it appeared that all efforts on our side to make them comply proved abortive,” he said.
According to him, the service was losing a lot as a result of the inability of individuals and businesses to pay taxes, adding that the state targeted over N500 million as withholding tax alone this year.
He said the state has to strengthen its revenue collection system and so far, N100 million has been collected as withholding tax this year.
One of the landlords, Barrister Abdu Jidda, agreed that notices were sent to him by the service but said he was supposed to remit his tax by June.