Edo govt. seals UNIBEN offices over alleged tax evasion

By Ruona Isikeh (NAN)
The Edo Government has sealed some offices at the University of Benin, including the Office of the Vice Chancellor, over alleged tax evasion.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offices were sealed in the early hours of Monday by officials of the Edo State Board of Internal Revenue (BIR).
The other affected offices were the Bursary, Open Registry and Senate Chamber.
The Public Relations Officer of the university, Dr Benedicta Ehanire, said that it was not true that the institution was sealed.
Ehanire said: “As you can see, I am in my office working. My boss is also in her office working. The office was not sealed.”
Some staff members of the institution, who spoke on the development, said that tax deductions were made from their salaries monthly.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the workers wondered why the taxes were not remitted to the state government after they were deducted from their salaries.
They blamed the default in tax remittances to government on the past administration, given that the current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami, assumed office on December 2.
NAN reports that when contacted, the officials of BIR, who sealed the offices, declined to give details on the action