University Of Agriculture Makurdi Sealed Off By BIRS....SEE WHY

BIRS Seals University Of Agriculture Makurdi Over N2.3B Debt (photos)

Benue State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS)eailier today, distrained by sealing the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) over un-remitted 'Pay As You Earn' (PAYE) to the sum of over N2.3 billion.
Mrs. Mimi Adzape-Orubibi,The BIRS Execitive Chairman,who personally led the enforcement team that raided the University in the early hours of the day, sealed off the Vice Chancellor's office, the office of the Registrar as well as that of the Bursar amongst others.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the exercise, Mrs. Adzape-Orubibi said BIRS had to take that necessary step after the institution failed to honour several letters directed to its management to pay up their outstanding Personal Income Tax from 2007 to 2011.

She further explained that the BIRS had obtained a court order to distrain FUAM because it deducted but failed to remit PAYE tax in some cases and under deducted in other cases; adding that the institution would now have to pay about N3 billion inclusive of penalties and interest before they can commence operations at the university.

While noting that though, the entire premises would have been sealed, the state government under the leadership of Governor Samuel Ortom is very concerned about education and would not want to render students helpless. She however posited that the decision to seal the institution became necessary owing to the continued evasion of tax by the school authority.