₦airaland Forum

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has again said it is mandatory for all taxpayers and companies to register and obtain the Tax Identification Number (TIN) and display it on all documents supporting business transactions before April 12, 2020. FIRS made this known in a public notice published on Monday which was signed by its Chairman, Muhammed Nami.

It stated that every company or business “shall provide their TIN to relevant providers of financial services not later 12th April, 2020, in order to update their existing records for accounts opened prior to the coming into effect of the Finance Act, 2019.” It also said banks and other financial institutions are required to request for TIN as a precondition for opening new accounts for companies and any other business.

It further explained that Section 3 of the Finance Act, 2019, substituted the provision of Section 10 of the Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) which explains that “every company shall have a Tax Identification Number (TIN) which shall be displayed by the company on all business transactions with other companies and individuals and on every document, statement, returns, audited accounts and correspondence with revenue authorities, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service, ministries and all government agencies.”

The notice also read, “Every person engaged in banking and other financial services in Nigeria shall require all companies to provide their TIN as precondition for opening an account or in case of an account already opened within three months of the passage of this act, the bank requires such TIN to be provided by all companies as precondition for continued operation of their bank accounts.”

In a separate notice, FIRS notified taxpayers that payment of tax is to be made on or before the due date of filing in one lump sum or installment. This according to the service, is pursuant to the amendments to Section 77 of the Companies Income Tax Act, (CITA) by Section 18 of the Finance Act.

The service further noted that it would grant approval to any taxpayer that wishes to pay in installments prior to the due date of filing and final installment must be paid on or before the due date of filing. FIRS added that any tax due and unpaid by the due date of filing shall attract interest and penalties as provided in the extant tax laws.

* As Falae insists Yoruba will not secede

Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has reiterated that the formation of the Ondo State Security Network Agency also known as ‘Amotekun’ will not be used for ethnic persecution. The governor stated this on Monday while declaring open the public hearing on the bill for the formation of Amotekun, held at the Babafunke Ajasin Auditorium, Igbatoro road in Akure. According to the governor, the security of residents of the state is paramount to him, hence the involvement of the locals in the setting up of the Ondo State Security Network who will serve as the Amotekun Corps.

“Amotekun is just only to assist the police and civil defence in the battle against insecurity in order to share intelligence particularly in terrains the conventional security agencies are not familiar with.

“Either we like it or not, there is no going back on Amotekun. All we are here for is just to have your input as regards the security outfit,” he said. While emphasizing that all necessary factors as regards the outfit had been taken into consideration, the governor said that irrespective of the obstacles, Amotekun will be fully achieved. “We have scrutinized it at the State Executive Council and it was forwarded to the state House of Assembly which has scaled through the first and second reading. The next stage is the public hearing in order to have everyone’s input so as to have an efficient Ondo State Security Network Agency. “There are those that are in support of Amotekun and some are not in support. But those in support will triumph.

The Amotekun issue is not the initiative of just one state but it involved all the six states of the South West which included collaborations of the Attorneys General and Speakers. “It was the DAWN commission that actually worked on Amotekun before we the governors decided to execute it,” he added. In his remark, the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun, assured that all inputs made at the public hearing will be taken into consideration when harmonizing the state’s position with the other five South-Western states.

Meanwhile, Chief Olu Falae who represented Afenifere at the public hearing said those skeptical about Amotekun should bury such thought as the move was not a plan by the Yorubas to secede from Nigeria. “Yorubas cannot secede from Nigeria. We have sowed a lot to contemplate secession. What we are emphasizing is the insecurity issue in the country. “Amotekun’s arrival represents the freedom of Yorubas from oppression within the Nigerian nation. Section 5 of the bill should include that Amotekun Corps should have the power to prosecute,” he said.

The House of Representatives Committee on Finance has demanded explanation from the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) over its alleged failure to remit N11.2 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund from 2018 to 2019. Discrepancies in the remittance were discovered when the Comptroller General of the service, Muhammad Babandede, appeared before the House Committee on Tuesday.

According to the Chairman of the Committee, James Abiodun Faleke, based on the available records before the committee, the Service is owing the federal government N11.2 billion which it failed to remit. In his submissions, however, the Immigration boss claimed that the service had been remitting funds as at when due.

The Committee Chairman therefore directed that the NIS should reconcile their accounts with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation before coming back to face the committee at a later date.

“We want you to go and reconcile your records with the Accountant General’s office. This figure is just for 2018 and 2019 only,” Faleke said. The service was told to appear before the committee with all available records on March 3rd, 2020.

A Kaduna based human rights activist, Muhammad Lawal Gusau has instituted a legal action at the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna against Ibrahim Rufai, a.k.a Deezell, the alleged suspect responsible for the leaked nude viral video of the Kannywood actress, Maryam Booth. The legal action was taken in pursuance of her fundamental human rights believed to have been infringed upon through recording and release to cyber space of the nude video by her estranged boyfriend.

In a court document sighted by Daily Trust on Monday, Gusau demands the court to award N10m to Maryam Booth as general compensation for the damaged the said viral video had caused her, including a published apology in three national dailies. In the motion on notice presented to the court, the activist is seeking enforcement of fundamental human rights of Maryam Booth as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35(1), 37, 38 and 46 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

Recalls that the 26 years old celebrity alleged that she was recorded by her estranged boyfriend, Deezell. However, Deezell has denied recording or releasing the two seconds video.

Maryam Booth alleged that Deezell had severally threatened to blackmail her by leaking her nude video if she didn’t give him an undisclosed amount of money.