The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are working together to arrest and prosecute tax defaulters in the country.
In a statement from the anti-graft agency on Tuesday, the duo explained that the partnership targets taxpayers who evaded the just concluded amnesty programme known as Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS).
The Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Babatunde Fowler, who led a delegation on a visit to the EFCC head office in Abuja, commended the EFCC role particularly in the recovery of N28billion from various tax defaulters across the country.
“Through the intervention of the EFCC, the agency has been experiencing a high level of tax compliance and it’s yielding positive results.
“When tax defaulters are reported and invited to your office (EFCC), we see results, we don’t know how you do it, but we are seeing results and people are complying,” he said.
Fowler believes the FIRS alone cannot curtail the activities of tax evaders without the collaboration of other national and international agencies such as the EFCC.
He further stressed the need to strengthen the existing collaboration and synergy between the two agencies, noting that his organisation would explore every other means backed by the law to ensure that taxes are paid and not diverted.
According to the FIRS boss, funds will be available for the government to provide the infrastructure needed for the socio-economic well-being of the citizenry if taxes are paid.
Responding, Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, assured his guest that the EFCC was ready to partner with any agency, organisation or individual in fighting corruption for the purpose of moving the nation forward.
He appreciated the visitor and called on all Nigerians to support the anti-corruption drive from home, offices and in whatever way they could to ensure a better future for the future generation.
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