TAX EVASION: Kano govt seals Max Air, Dantata, other companies over unpaid taxes

The Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) has taken drastic measures against tax defaulters in the state, sealing the headquarters of Max Air Limited, a leading Nigerian airline, over unpaid taxes amounting to N190 million.

This move is part of a broader crackdown on companies and individuals who have failed to meet their tax obligations.

According to Madam Ibrahim Abdullahi, Director of Debt Management and Enforcement at KIRS during a press briefing on Monday, the agency had exhausted all avenues of dialogue with Max Air before resorting to sealing their premises.

“We issued several correspondences to Max Air to settle their tax liabilities, but they failed to respond. As a last resort, we obtained a court order to seal their headquarters in accordance with the law,” Abdullahi explained.

Max Air, owned by prominent businessman Dahiru Barau Mangal, is not the only company to feel the heat of the KIRS enforcement exercise. The offices of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company along Zaria Road were also sealed for defaulting on over N241 million in PAYE and withholding tax liabilities from 2021 to 2022.

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Additionally, Northern Rice and Oil Milling Nigeria Ltd, located in Gunduwawa Industrial Estate, off Hadejia Road, was shut down for similar tax-related offenses.

Abdullahi emphasized the importance of tax compliance, noting that tax payments are crucial for the state’s development. “Our enforcement team discovered significant discrepancies in the payment of taxes by these companies,” she said.

“We were left with no choice but to take these measures to compel them to pay after numerous attempts to address the issue amicably.”

The KIRS enforcement exercise aims to ensure that all businesses operating in Kano State fulfill their tax obligations as stipulated by law.

“This action is not targeted at any individual or company but is part of our mandate to recover outstanding liabilities and improve the state’s internally generated revenue,” Abdullahi stated.

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