EFCC to join FIRS in fighting tax evasion, says it is a financial crime

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it is committed to fighting tax evasion because it is a financial crime that falls within its purview. 

Sanusi Abdullahi, head of the EFCC Kaduna zone, was speaking during a courtesy visit to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Kaduna state office on Tuesday.

A statement signed by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC head of media and publicity, quoted Abdullahi as saying the commission has assisted FIRS in the recovery of taxes from tax evaders and has prosecuted many of such offenders over the years.

He urged FIRS not to relent in its engagement with tax offenders and assured the service of EFCC’s continued collaboration and intervention in the recovery of all lost taxes.

Othman Alhassan, the FIRS state coordinator for Benue, Kaduna and Niger states, noted that EFCC has been of immense support to FIRS in tax recovery, adding that dwindling government revenue has made it more imperative for both agencies to collaborate and recover all lost tax revenues of the government.

Alhassan described the visit as a timely one that will create room for further engagement between EFCC and FIRS towards addressing the scourge of tax evasion, and also called for collaborations between the two agencies on public tax education and enlightenment.

In 2017, both agencies collaborated to launch an anti-tax fraud and evasion team.