The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has expressed strong displeasure over the invasion of two of its offices in Abuja by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) while enforcing non-payment of ground rent allegedly owed by the agency.
The FIRS, at a press conference at the Revenue House in Abuja on Monday, described the incident as embarrassing and demanded apology from the FCTA officials for the unjustifiable invasion, insisting that the FCTA officials acted in error.
FIRS Director, Facility Management Department, Mr Tyofa Abeghe; Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Kunle Ogidi; Special Adviser Media to the Executive Chairman, Dare Adekanmbi; Collins Omokaro and Arabirin Aderonke Atoyebi all addressed the press conference on Monday.
Refuting the allegation that FIRS owed 25-year ground on two of its office at No 12 and 14, Sokode Crescent, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, Abeghe said nothing could be further from the truth, maintaining that FIRS had cleared the said money.
Abeghe said a demand notice from Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) dated September 2023, asking for ground rent on the properties was honoured with a payment of N2,364,003 three months after the notice was issued.
He added that frustrated that the payment was not receipted and treasury receipt issued, Abeghe said a letter dated February 19, 2024, was written requesting that the payment be confirmed and same receipted.
He further disclosed that the letter, which was duly acknowledged by the front desk office of AGIS, was neither responded to nor the payment receipted.
In his own remarks, the Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Ogidi condemned what he described as administrative rascality of the FCTA officials, adding that they would have known that the ground rent had been paid if they had done due diligence.
“As a law-abiding agency, FIRS does not owe FCTA ground rent on any of its offices in FCT on anywhere, including the ones invaded by these officials.
“For clarity, on the two offices sealed which are located on Plot 627, Sokode Crescent, a sum of N2, 364, 003.26 covering ground rent on the properties for the fiscal year 2000 to 2024 has since been paid.
“FIRS has about seven offices in Sokode Crescent alone. Why are we going to pay ground rent on others and leave only two? Does that make sense?” asked Adekanmbi.
In their own remarks, Omokaro and Arabirin Atoyebi stressed the need to nurture and strengthen inter-agency collaboration to avoid future occurrence, while also apologising to the members of staff and taxpayers who were traumatised during the invasion.
