By Our Reporter
The Lokoja branches of Union Bank is currently sealed by the Kogi State Government for allegedly refusing to settle a tax of N147.3 million..
This was disclosed to newsmen on Friday by Barrister Isah Jamil, Director of Legal Services, Kogi Internal Revenue Service, KGIRS, the agency that sealed up the premises.
Jamil said that the High Court of Kogi State on August 21, 2020 granted an application by KGIRS to seal the premises of Union Bank PLC on account of default in the payment of the tax liability.
He stated that the bank was owing the sum of ₦147,343,407.32k noting that the premises of the bank in Kogi State were sealed pursuant to the said Order of the Court.
Jamil added that the Union Bank of Nigeria after the judgement filed a motion before the High Court of the State seeking to set aside the Order of distrain.
He noted that the court having heard the application on August 26, 2020 dismissed the application of the bank for lack of merit.
He said “It is important to also add that in 2019, UBN had filed a case before the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) sitting in Jos disputing KGIRS assessment notice of the same liability.
“On 29th of July, 2020, the TAT found at the end of the hearing of the case that UBN is liable to Kogi State Government in One Hundred and Forty Seven Million, Three Hundred and Forty Three Thousand, Four Hundred and Seven Naira, Thirty Two Kobo (₦147,343,407.32) and directed the bank to pay the said amount immediately, but the bank failed to comply with the Judgment of TAT”
He stressed that out that the case of the UBN has been dismissed as the distrain of the premises of the bank will continue until the liability of the bank in the sum of ₦147,343,407.32K is fully settled.
