By Christopher Sunday, Abuja
voxnews.com.ng
In a dramatic and ironic twist, the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) has shut down the office of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in Zone 5, Abuja, over the agency’s failure to pay ground rent for the past 25 years.
The enforcement, led by the FCTA’s Department of Development Control and backed by security operatives, stunned many residents and workers as the very agency responsible for collecting taxes nationwide was found to be in violation of its own statutory financial obligations.
A senior FCTA official who spoke under anonymity said that the FIRS had been served multiple notices over the years but failed to respond or comply. “It’s an embarrassment. How can the agency that enforces tax compliance be the one defaulting for over two decades?” he queried.
Eyewitnesses described the atmosphere as tense and surreal. Some staff were reportedly turned back at the gate, while visitors expressed disbelief. “They pursue citizens aggressively over tax defaults, yet they haven’t paid ground rent for 25 years. This is the height of irony,” a passerby remarked.
Quoting the legendary British jurist Lord Denning, a legal analyst commented: “Who will guard the guards themselves?” He noted that this incident reveals a deeper problem of institutional accountability within the Nigerian public sector.
As of the time of this report, the FIRS office remains sealed, and no official statement has been issued by the agency. Sources say urgent high-level discussions are underway to resolve the matter.
This incident has sparked conversations about the need for consistent internal compliance across all arms of government. Many citizens now wonder how many more public agencies are defaulting while preaching accountability.
