The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) on Thursday sealed two hotels, an event centre and other business premises within the Kaduna metropolis over N422.6 million in unpaid taxes.

The sealed businesses were Seals Admiralty Naval Suites, owned by Navy Travels and Tours, Abuja, and Deluxe Suites, located at Ali Akilu Road, Kaduna. Others were Big City Event Centre, Bijo Surgical & Scientific Limited, Zedvance Finance Limited, TXTLight Power Solution, Lek Dental & Maxillofacial Hospital, Azaka, and Enyo filling station.

Speaking to journalists at the sideline of the exercise, Aysha Ahmad, the KADIRS’ secretary and legal adviser, said the exercise aimed to enforce compliance by the businesses that failed to discharge their civic responsibilities of tax payment.

Ahmad added that KADIRS, in exercise of the powers vested in it by section 104 of Personal Income Tax Act, sealed up the business premises due to the huge established tax liabilities.

“As usual, we are left with no option than the powers vested on us by the law to enforce compliance. This is why we are restraining on the premises,” she said.

Mr Ahmad stressed that KADIRS derived no joy in sealing the properties or business arenas of tax defaulters, adding that paying taxes was every citizen’s civic responsibility.

She said they encouraged voluntary compliance, so they exhausted all possible means before enforcement was the final step.

Speaking further, the board secretary said the enforcement was part of their process to achieve the N120 billion revenue target set for the service by the Kaduna government.

She, therefore, called on the people of the state to ensure voluntary tax compliance, describing it as a civic responsibility.

(NAN)