The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Wednesday, closed down offices of a telecommunications company, Globacom Limited, in Lagos for failure to remit N24.3billion in Value Added Tax (VAT). FIRS also closed down Erin Petroleum Nigeria Limited, formerly known as Camac Petroleum Limited, for failure to remit N107.3 million and $10.6 million respectively.
The closure of the companies followed their refusal to abide by a six-week notice given to them by the FIRS.
FIRS officials, led by the Director of Enforcement, Emeka Obiagwu, directed his officials to seal off all the workstations of Globacom such as the Globacom Towers, located at Mike Adenuga Close, GloWorld, located at Adeola Odeku, and the service station at 17, Saka Tinubu Street, all on Victoria Island, Lagos.
At Erin Petroleum, the FIRS team ordered staff to vacate the server room, administrative room, and other offices.
At the Mike Adenuga Towers, it took the efforts of the top officials of the company to calm the staff, who were irritated by the order that they should vacate. The place was subsequently put under lock and key.