FIRS to prosecute tax offenders

By Uthman Salami

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has declared its readiness to prosecute various degrees of tax offences that is hampering development in the country.

The Executive chairman, FIRS, Muhammad Nami disclosed this in a public notice  released by the agency which was assessed by our correspondent.

The agency declared that it was its constitutional rights, as prescribed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigerian to prosecute whosoever breaks any of the law governing taxation in the country.

The notice further drew the attention of the tax payers, managers, private entities to the provision of the law that specifically saddles FIRS to prosecute anyone who trampled on any of the extant laws guiding taxation in Nigeria

The notice also enjoined all the general public to duly comply with all the laws ranging from registration for tax to paying appropriate taxes as stated by the 1999 constitution as amended.

According to the public notice, “The Federal Inland Revenue Service wishes to notify the general public that in pursuant to the provision of section 47 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act, No.13, 2017, the service shall henceforth prosecute all tax offences listed in the part VI of the FIRSEA and other relevant tax law.”

It added that “particularly offences of tax evasion, tax fraud, failure to deduct or remit tax, obstruction, false declaration, counterfeiting of documents, failure to file tax returns among others.

“The attention of the general public is equally drawn to the provisions of S.49(2) of the FIRSEA which provide for the prosecution of Directors, Managers,  Secretaries, Partners, firm or association where a tax offence is committed by that company, firm or association.”

The Agency, however, concluded that the notice by warning “the pubic, and particularly taxpayers, tax practitioners, management of companies, agents, etc are hereby enjoined to comply with the provision of section 25(f) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) by registering for tax, declaring all income honestly, correctly and accurately, and paying appropriate taxes in compliance with relevant tax laws in order to avoid prosecution.”