BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

OWERRI- Imo State Board of Internal Revenue, BIR, Thursday sealed off the premises of Federal Mortgage Bank for allegedly failing to fulfill its tax obligations to the state government.

The operation, which was led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, Sir Jude Ejiogu, has sent signals to tax dodgers in the state to pay up or face sanctions.

Explaining the action of the Board, the establishment’s Legal Adviser, Mrs. A. C. Onyeukwu, said it was in pursuance of the provisions of Section 1-6 of the Personal Income Tax Cap 8 laws of Nigeria.

Onyeukwu also said: “This is one of the drastic measures the Board is taking to make tax evaders live up to their responsibilities”.

Addressing newsmen, Ejiogu, who also doubles as the BIR Chairman, maintained that “the action should serve as a warning to other defaulters”.