From Attah Ede, Makurdi

Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) has shutdown Oracle Business Ltd, belonging to former Governor Samuel Ortom for allegedly owing taxes to the tune of N93.5m.

The premises of Jagshu and Ubgechi Filling Stations were also shutdown over alleged N2.

The tax defaulters operation was carried out at the weekend by the Acting Executive Chairman of Benue Internal Revenue Service, Sunday Odagba in company of the Board’s Secretary/Legal Adviser, Ushahemba Dekaa

The action followed an order from a State High Court sitting in Makurdi which mandated the Board to enforce the consequences of the default.

The BIRS Legal Adviser, Ushahemba Dekaa told journalists after sealing the premises of Oracle Business Ltd that the company defaulted in its obligations for payment of taxes for six years, hence the clamp down.

According to him, the board has been monitoring the tax of the company all these while and the company keep on going back and forth in relation to payment which they failed to do.

He said the board equally organized several meetings and engagements with the companies, yet no compliance even when BIRS were using soft approach to ensure that they paid their taxes and levies but all to no avail.

On his part, the Group Managing Director of Oracle Business, Chris Omiyi argued that the company got letters of tax evaluation totalling N138m. “We sent our tax consultant to them and the liability dropped to N38million.

“Even that amount was spurious but because we are peace-loving we agreed to pay the N38million. But there is still a dispute of N15million which we are to resolve in the office. They fixed a date for the resolution, we got there the people we deal with were not on seat.

“The issue is that you said a company owes tax and we have started paying what you said we owe. Whatever that is in dispute we bring it forward and if it is overruled then we pay that which is in dispute because we have paid all others.”

In his remark the BIRS Acting Chairman, Sunday Odangba stated Oracle Business and other affected companies failed in their obligations.

He explained that the board on several occasions served them demand notices which they did not object and they did not pay.

The Management of the University of Jos has commenced the construction of a 10-lane Olympic Size Swimming Pool ahead of the upcoming National Universities Games Association (NUGA).

Prof. Tanko Ishaya, the Vice Chancellor of the University disclosed this on Monday while handing over the project site to Kaplan Consults Ltd.

The NUGA games, to be hosted by the university, is scheduled to hold between April and May 2025.

Ishaya, who explained that the project was being funded with Internally Generated Revenue, said that the swimming pool is one of the key facilities needed toward a successful NUGA games.

“Once this project is completed, all the necessary sporting facilities required for us to host the best NUGA games will be in place.

“I am calling on the contractors to carry out this job within the 16-week specified period; we need a quality job as well.

“We will expect briefing on weekly basis on the progress of work because we want this facility to be ready at least three months before the competition,” he said.

Earlier, Mrs Halima Auta, the university’s Director of Physical Facilities, explained that the swimming pool, a view pavilion and changing rooms would be handled by Kaplan Consult Ltd., while the training pool, all procurement and installations would be done by Caniyota Ltd.

Responding on behalf of the Contractors, Mr Kinsley Nathaniel of Kaplan Consults Ltd., promised to deploy the expertise needed to execute the project to an international standard. (NAN)

Several commercial transport operators in Ilorin on Thursday stormed some major streets in the metropolis to protest the new hike in petrol pump price.

During the protest, they expressed their displeasure with the sudden price hike, with the action leading to untold hardship for thousands of commuters.

The protests which commenced on Thursday morning significantly disrupted the movement of commercial vehicles across the city.

This forced passengers to resolve to trekking to their destinations.

The protest was spearheaded by some operators of commercial tricycles and commercial motorcycle riders who blocked several major roads in the city.

The road blocks occurred at Taiwo Isale, Coca-Cola road Junction, Maraba, Gambari Road and Offa Garage, bringing traffic to a standstill for several hours.

Consequently, commuters faced severe delays as the protesters restricted vehicular movements, demanding immediate action to address the situation.

Jimoh Abubakar, a commercial tricycle operator who spoke with newsmen at Maraba, revealed that the protest was because of the sudden hike in fuel pump price.

Abubakar said the increase was unfair, adding that transporters hardly made profit due to money spent on fuel.

“In fact, when we were charging N50 per drop, it was more profitable than now. The hardship is too much, the government should help us,” he said.

Another tricycle rider, Yusuf Issa, also called on government to reduce fuel pump price, saying tricycle riders now spend all their income on fuel.

“They (government) should reduce it totally. It is becoming very difficult to make any profit, not to talk of taking care of the family from what we do for a living,” he said.

The focal points of the protest, such as Maraba and Murtala Mohammed Way Junction, witnessed aggrieved transporters chanting “(We say) ‘No’ to consistent price hike”.

Security operatives, including personnel of the Nigerian Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were deployed to key areas in the metropolis to ease the tension and ensure orderliness.

The presence of security agents helped to prevent any escalation into violence and ensured that the protest remained largely peaceful in spite of the significant disruptions to daily activities.

The protest caused widespread disruption as residents who relied on public transport as they were stranded and could not go for their daily activities.

Many of them later resolved to trekking to their various destinations.

Report says that most independent petroleum marketers in Kwara now sell at different prices ranging from N950 to N1200 per litre.(NAN)