FCT-IRS Partners EFCC’ To Check Tax Evasion

To prevent tax evasion, the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, FCT-IRS, is collaborating with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to enforce compliance.

The Acting Executive Chairman of FCT-IRS Mr Michael Ango sought the collaboration when he paid a visit to the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede in Abuja.

He explained that the partnership was important because of the statutory roles of both agencies, to ensure that all revenue due to the FCT is collected and accounted improve revenue generation.

Ango noted that most suspects being investigated by EFCC for financial crimes were not tax compliant and it would be helpful if such persons were interrogated as to their tax status and required to fulfil their tax obligations as part of the investigation.

The FCT-IRS boss stated that this approach could also be extended to forfeiture of assets or monies of suspects to the EFCC by the Court.

“When suspects are being investigated or charged to Court, we would like to know, Mr Chairman, their compliance level, if they escape from one door, we can catch them through
another door.”

“We will therefore be happy to partner with you, like we are doing with your sister agency, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU),” Ango said.

The FCT-IRS Boss also said the service would focus more on harmonisation of revenue collection this year, hence the need for support and collaboration of all agencies such as the EFCC.

According to Ango, this will further help the Nyesom Wike – led administration to consolidate on the massive infrastructural development in the FCT .

Mr. Ango condoled with the EFCC on the recent loss of its staff and commended the Executive Chairman for the excellent work the Commission had been doing to tackle financial crimes in the country since he assumed duty as Chief Executive of the Commission.

In his remarks, the EFCC Executive Chairman, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede thanked the FCT-IRS chairman and his team for the visit and expressed willingness to partner the Service to improve revenue collection in the FCT.

Olukoyede, however, stressed the need to have a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to highlight the specific areas of collaboration between the two organisations.

The EFCC Chairman further lauded the efforts of Mr. Michael Ango since his appointment as Acting Executive Chairman, adding that he has been keeping tabs with his achievements.

He pointed out that he was not also surprised about the aggressive infrastructural development in the FCT carried out by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, which shows that taxpayer’s money is being used judiciously across the territory.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji