THE Internal Revenue Service of Lagos State, in the commercial capital of Nigeria, on Wednesday sealed an
oil and gas exploration firm, NestOil Plc, for allegedly assaulting its tax law officers.
Mrs Folasade Coker-Afolayan, the Head, Distrain Unit of Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, known by the acronym LIRS said that the tax officers were attacked when they served a notice of tax debt on the firm.
She told newsmen in Lagos that the firm allegedly owed the state government N9.8 million in unremitted personal income taxes of workers in 2010.
Coker-Afolayan said that trouble started when the tax officers started videotaping their discussions with officials of NestOil.
“In the process of argument over the right to videotape the discussion, the revenue agency’s cameraman and some officials were manhandled and the camera badly damaged.
“The angry employees further held the tax officers hostage for hours,” she said.
Coker-Afolayan explained that the aim of videotaping was to keep record of what transpired between the parties.
According to her, the recording is not for public consumption.
“Issues may arise and the company may decide to petition the revenue authorities and the recording will serve as proof of what transpired,” she said.
An official of the sealed company, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that the recording was uncalled for as it infringed on their fundamental human rights.