Sequel to a court oder, the Edo State Internal Revenue Services sealed up the administrative offices of the Benin City Airport over non-remittance of N15 million Pay As You Earn Tax.
The money was allegedly deducted from the take home pay of employees of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria in 2011.
Passengers that arrived Benin could not leave the airport as the two gates leading to the airport were locked, though the EDIRS said it only locked the administrative offices of the airport.
It said the austerities of the airport locked the gates in order to create a wrong impression of the true situation.
Some of the passengers had to leave the airport by breaking down the barb wire that served as perimetre fencing to the place.
Cab operators were also trapped inside the airport as well as other passengers that did not want to leave through the fence.
Passengers scheduled for morning flights could not leave as flights did not depart the airport following the shut down.
Chairman of EDIRS, Chief Oseni Elemah, who led security operatives to open the airport gates, said the locking of the gates was a ploy to blackmail the state government.
But FAAN, in its reaction, said the Edo State Government lied that it had not paid the tax due to the state.
A statement by the General Manager, Corporate Communications of FAAN, Yakubu Dati, said there was no truth in the allegation.
The statement said: “This action, which has effectively shut down flight operations at the airport, is in contravention of the laws setting up the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, operators of the airport. Sub-Section 25, Section IV of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Cap. F5) of 2004, establishing the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria states clearly that ‘The Authority shall be exempted from the payment of taxes and tenement rates and any arrears whatsoever in connection thereto’.
“The Authority therefore views this action of the Edo State Government as not only unlawful but provocative because it is a well known fact that all airport lands are acquired by the Federal Government and are exempted from paying charges to the States where they are located.
“The unlawful closure of the airport by the State Government and the invasion of the airport’s restricted area by unauthorised individuals is a security breach which no responsible Government should be seen to be encouraging, especially in view of the present security situation in the country.
“We wish to assure all passengers, airline operators and other airport users that the Authority is taking urgent steps to ensure that the airport is re-opened for normal flight operations immediately, even as we regret any inconvenience caused them by this unannounced and unlawful closure of the airport.”
The Edo State Governor, Comarade Adams Oshiomohole, however alleged that the agents of the EDIRS were assaulted by the Benin Manager of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Ayodele Sunday, during the enforcement of a court order sealing the airport for default in the payments of N15 million PAYE tax.
The governor also frowned at the arrest of Elamah, allegedly on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, saying the police ought to protect the man trying to enforce the law and not the lawbreaker.
He said the due process of law will be applied to pursue the matter and called for the release of Elamah.
According to the governor: “The Edo State Government did not seal up the airport.
“The revenue board staff went there peacefully to do their job.
“The authority of the revenue board went to serve a ‘Distraining Order’ on the administrative office of FAAN.
“It was done in a way to ensure that it does not affect the operations of the airport, knowing that the airport is a public place and as much as we want to collect taxes due to government, we don’t want to inflict pains on travellers who are not a party to the issue of tax evasion.
“However when the Manager’s office was sealed up.
“He, in turn, in order to attract national attention or dramatize the issue, decided on his own to shut down the airport.
“As you know, his office is several hundred meters outside the airport and the sealing up of his office will not in any way affect the airport.
“So just to put it on record, the Edo State Government did not shut down the airport.
“We believe it was possible to get the FAAN to pay their obligation without causing untold hardship to air travelers.
“So the airport has been unilaterally closed down by the Airport Manager who wanted to use it to shield himself from the charges against him, namely, deducting PAYE from employees of FAAN and not paying to the Edo State Government in accordance with the law.
“Everybody is under the law.
“No one is above the law.
“The only thing that surprised me this morning is that the airport manager assaulted members of the revenue board.
“I have been a bit embarrassed that the Police Commissioner has arrested the revenue board chairman and I have asked him to release him.
“He said his arrest was on the orders of the IGP.
“I have thought that when laws are violated that it is those who violated the law that should be arrested by the police not those who seek to enforce the law.
“I do not believe that the action of the police is appropriate and I feel we all must ensure that the rule of law be followed.
“I believe that the revenue board acted properly by going to court to obtain a court order and to serve it in a way that it will cause no inconvenience to members of the public.
“I believe the matter is under control.
“I have spoken to the authorities in Abuja and I believe the matter will be handled amicably.”
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