The Katsina State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) has given non-tax-compliant banks and other agencies in the state a two-week ultimatum to remit their taxes.

Alhaji Surajo Muhammad, the executive director of the KIRS who disclosed this to newsmen on Saturday in Katsina, said the organisations were owing the state more than N1 billion.

According to him, the management of the board on Friday visited the affected banks and agencies to inform them of the actions to be taken for failure to settle the debt.

He explained that the board had placed a notice of non-compliance at strategic points within the affected banks and agencies for the general public to note.

“Three of the affected banks and agencies visited in the Katsina State capital included Unity Bank, Stanbic Bank, Sterling Bank and Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO).

“They have deducted government money and have not remitted to the government and we have been on this issue for quite some time now.

“We have met and sat with them but they have refused to come up with their payments. Therefore, members of the public should note that they are non-tax compliant.

“So, based on the provisions of the law, we are telling them and telling the public that these organisations are non-tax compliant and so should avoid transacting with them.

“In your interest, it is better you don’t deal with them. We are giving them a period of two weeks within which to come forward and settle their outstanding liabilities.”

He pointed out that failure to settle the liabilities will result in recovery options without further recourse to these organisations.

According to him, they have quite a lot of options given by the law, saying that they may choose to garnish or freeze their accounts, take over their accounts, or lock up the premises until they get their payment.

He also advised other tax defaulters that the state government was serious about revenue generation and would spare no agency that refused to comply with the necessary and relevant provisions of the law.

(NAN)