A Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 2 Abuja has ordered the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) to seal a company – Ifedi A.K. Nigeria Ltd, over the failure of its management to file the mandatory annual returns.

Magistrate Janada Balami issued the order on Friday, May 3, after the lawyer to FCT-IRS, Michael Towolawi applied orally to have the company sealed to compel it to attend court to answer the complaint filed against it by the FCT-IRS.

In her ruling, Magistrate Balami said the oral application to seal up the property located at No 6, Rudolf Close, Off Katsina-Ala Street, Maitama, Abuja was granted to compel the attendance of the defendant in court on the next adjourned date.

She proceeded to adjourn to May 16.

When the case was called, the company, named as the sole defendant, was not represented.

Towolawi told the court that the company has consistently failed from 2019 to 2023 to file its annual returns in violation of Section 81 of the Personal Income Tax Act, LFN, 2004, and amended in 2011.

He said all efforts to make the company comply with the law proved abortive as all notices served on the company, which were duly acknowledged, were not acted on.

Towolawi said a notice to prosecute was also served on the defendant on March 6, 2024, but without any response.

[TheNation]