Abiola Kolawole, Ibadan
Many bank customers were today, in
Ibadan, Oyo State Capital, stranded with disappointment from their banks after
the Oyo State Board of Internally-Generated Revenue sealed many banks in Ibadan
for refusing to comply with tax exercise.
Many bank customers were today, in
Ibadan, Oyo State Capital, stranded with disappointment from their banks after
the Oyo State Board of Internally-Generated Revenue sealed many banks in Ibadan
for refusing to comply with tax exercise.
A combined task force team of the Oyo
State Inter-ministerial Enforcement Unit on Monday swoop on the financial
institutions to enforce tax compliance.
State Inter-ministerial Enforcement Unit on Monday swoop on the financial
institutions to enforce tax compliance.
Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue
(OYBIR), the coordinating agency for collecting all government revenues had
last month issued a 14 day ultimate to all tax payers in the state to pay up
all outstanding dues and levies to the coffers of government.
(OYBIR), the coordinating agency for collecting all government revenues had
last month issued a 14 day ultimate to all tax payers in the state to pay up
all outstanding dues and levies to the coffers of government.
A source hinted that about two weeks
after the expiration of the 14 days, the OYBIR had also written letters to remind
the affected banks without response from the banks until the enforcement.
after the expiration of the 14 days, the OYBIR had also written letters to remind
the affected banks without response from the banks until the enforcement.
Banking activities were paralyzed at the
erring banks as early as 9am after 20 different branches of different banks were
shut with sealed notices placed on them.
erring banks as early as 9am after 20 different branches of different banks were
shut with sealed notices placed on them.
The affected banks included, Diamond,
Stanbic IBTC, Skye, FCMB, Heritage located in different areas of the city among
which are Dugbe, Mokola, Idi-Ape, Agodi Gate, Secretariat Road, Challenge,
Jericho, Bodija, UI among others.
Stanbic IBTC, Skye, FCMB, Heritage located in different areas of the city among
which are Dugbe, Mokola, Idi-Ape, Agodi Gate, Secretariat Road, Challenge,
Jericho, Bodija, UI among others.
No sooner had the task force team arrived
the banks than the officials of the affected banks started running helter skelter
around to tidy up their papers to save losing the whole day’s business.
the banks than the officials of the affected banks started running helter skelter
around to tidy up their papers to save losing the whole day’s business.
Some of the banks succeeded in making
the necessary payment as fast as they could to resume operations, but were not
lucky as they were making frantic efforts to get to the superior authority for
further directive.
the necessary payment as fast as they could to resume operations, but were not
lucky as they were making frantic efforts to get to the superior authority for
further directive.
 |
| Sealed FCMB on Monday |
A source within the government
enforcement team said the affected banks defaulted in the payment of the annual
environmental development levy.
enforcement team said the affected banks defaulted in the payment of the annual
environmental development levy.
The tax, which is paid to the coffers
of the state government is said to be payment for the impact of the various
business and corporate entities on the environment across the state.
of the state government is said to be payment for the impact of the various
business and corporate entities on the environment across the state.
The affected banks were also
said to have been found guilty for not paying for the duration ranging from
2015 to 2018, despite series of official communications and reminders to the
management at different times.
said to have been found guilty for not paying for the duration ranging from
2015 to 2018, despite series of official communications and reminders to the
management at different times.
The Chairman of the Board, Mr Bicci
Alli had warned in the paid advertorial that the agency would embark on massive
enforcement to seal up all erring corporate organisations on the expiration of
the ultimatum.
Alli had warned in the paid advertorial that the agency would embark on massive
enforcement to seal up all erring corporate organisations on the expiration of
the ultimatum.
Alli said, the enforcement team
decided to focus on banks to serve as deterrent to other defaulting corporate
organisations, adding that the exercise will continue.
decided to focus on banks to serve as deterrent to other defaulting corporate
organisations, adding that the exercise will continue.
