The Kano state government, through the Kano State Board of Internal Revenue Service (KIRS), has sealed the head office of Max Air Limited, a national airline company, over its alleged failure to remit over N190 million in Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and other liability taxes accrued from 2012 to 2017.
According to Madam Ibrahim Abdullahi, Director of Debt Management and Enforcement, the company had failed to respond to several correspondences sent by the service, prompting the agency to obtain a court order to seal the head office.
Max Air, owned by Dahiru Barau Mangal, an in-law to New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) national leader and presidential candidate, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, is not the only company affected by the government’s crackdown on tax defaulters.
The enforcement team also sealed the office of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company, located along Zaria Road, for defaulting on payment of over N241 million in PAYE and outstanding withholding tax liabilities for the period of 2021 to 2022.
Additionally, the Northern Rice and Oil Milling Nigeria Ltd, located at Gunduwawa Industrial Estate, off Hadejia road, Kano State, was also sealed by the agency.
Abdullahi explained that the decision to seal the companies was necessary to compel them to pay their tax liabilities, which they had failed to do despite several correspondences.
“We went out to enforce payment of tax liabilities to make sure all liability taxes are paid as and when due as we have classification of taxes because our enforcement team found out there are discrepancies in the payment of the taxes,” he said.
“So, the agency found it necessary to take the measure in order to compel them to pay such taxes after several correspondences without positive responses from them,” he added.