The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has expressed strong displeasure over the invasion of two of its offices by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday to enforce non-payment of ground rent insisting that it does not owe the FCTA any rent.
Officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on the early hours yesterday sealed the FIRS office located in Zone 5, Abuja, over the agency’s alleged failure to pay ground rent for a staggering 25 years. Officials from the Department of Development Control, under the FCTA, carried out the enforcement action, revoking the land title and placing official seals on the premises.
But addressing a press conference at the Revenue House in Abuja, the Director, Facility Management Department of FIRS, Mr Tyofa Abeghe, demanded an apology from the FCTA officials for what he called the unjustifiable invasion, having acted in error.
Refuting the allegation that FIRS owed 25-year ground rent on two of its offices at No 12 and 14 Sokode Crescent Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, Abeghe said nothing could be further from the truth on the claim as FIRS had paid the said money.
He said a demand notice from Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) dated September 2023, asking for ground rent on the properties was honoured with a payment of N2, 364, 003 three months after the notice was issued.
“Frustrated that the payment was not receipted and treasury receipt issued, I wrote a letter dated February 19, 2024, requesting that the payment be confirmed and the same receipted,” Abeghe said.
He said the letter, which was duly acknowledged by the front desk office of AGIS, was neither responded to nor the receipt for the payment issued.
In his own remarks, the Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Kunle Ogidi condemned what he described as administrative rascality of the FCTA officials, adding that they would have known the ground rent had been paid if they had done due diligence.
“As a law-abiding agency, FIRS does not owe FCTA ground rent on any of its offices in FCT or anywhere, including the ones invaded by these officials,” he said.
“For clarity, on the two offices sealed, which are located on Plot 627, Sokode Crescent, a sum of N2, 364, 003.26 covering ground rent on the properties for the fiscal year 2000 to 2024 has since been paid.
Special Adviser, Media, Dare Adekanmbi, said FIRS has about seven offices in Sokode Crescent alone. “How will we pay ground rent for others and leave only two? Does that make sense?” he asked.