Ondo revenue board seals off telecoms firm, partner over alleged N458m tax liabilities

DUSTS were raised yesterday in Akure, the capital city of Ondo State when the Ondo State Board of Internal Revenue (OSBIR) clamped down MTN Nigeria Communication Limited’s state office, its facilities and partner, Demmy Global Limited for N458,585,743.12 tax liabilities.

The head office of the GSM network service provider along Oba Adesida Road was placed under heavy lock and sealed by OSBIR special task force alongside five of its Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) masts at Ilesha/Owo Expressway, Iyange, Araromi, Oyedola in Akure metropolis and at Premier Timber Ind. Ltd, km 16, old Owo road in Akure North Local Council.

It, however, took a different turn at Demmy Global Limited, the only MTN partner licensed for SIM swap and other essential services in the south west, when the task force team led by Mr. Emmanuel Akinmutimi, the OSBIR Director of Management Services, announced that he had a court order to seal off the premises for tax default.

Akinmutimi noted that the court presided by the Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, granted the prayers on December 7, 2015, authorizing the board to penalize the defaulters for their negligence and insensitive attitude to the state government.

However, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Demmy Global Limited, Adekanmi Muwagun, and his staff initially resisted the task force team, insisting that they were not owing the board a dime and not given any prior notice before the task force enforced the court order.

Muwagun stated that Demmy Global Limited is different from MTN Nigeria Communication Limited, accusing OSBIR of transferring the aggression borne out of the problems it has with MTN, his partner on the company.

He alleged that the task force came to the office premises with security men that were armed with guns to harass his staff, thereby threatening to seek redress in the law court for assault and loss of profit as the company was sealed off and business operations halted.