Former Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has been summoned to court over alleged failure to pay his mandatory Personal Income Tax for 2023 and 2024, as well as underpayment of taxes in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
A criminal summons, dated August 21, 2025, was issued by a
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Magistrate Court, requiring Melaye to appear
before the Magistrate Court at Wuse Zone II, Abuja, on September 5, 2025.
According to the FCT Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Melaye
only paid N85,000.08 in 2019, N100,000.08 in 2020, N120,000 in 2021, and
N1,000,000 in 2022, despite declaring much higher annual incomes.
It revealed that for instance, in 2022, he declared an
annual income of over N6.5 million.
It was revealed that an administrative assessment for 2023
and 2024 was issued on May 23, 2025, but when Melaye failed to respond within
30 days, a notice of best judgment assessment was issued on June 23, 2025.
Attempts to deliver the notice
personally or to his representative were unsuccessful, prompting the IRS to
paste it on the gate of his residence in Maitama, Abuja, on July 9, 2025.
The notice outlined that Melaye’s total tax liabilities for
2023 and 2024 were assessed at N234,896,000.00 and N274,712,000.00,
respectively.
The notice read; “Despite reminders and ample time provided,
your non-compliance with Section 41 of the Act constitutes a breach of your
obligations. Consequently, the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue
Service (FCT-IRS) has, in accordance with Section 54(3) of the Personal Income
tax act, proceeded to raise a Best of Judgment Assessment in respect of your
tax liabilities for the years under review.
“Accordingly, your tax liability has been assessed in the
sum of N234,896,000.00 and N274,712,000.00 for the period of 2023 and 2024
respectively. The computation and assessment are attached for your action.
Please note that the Service has also identified income under declaration and
under payment for the 2020, 2021 and 2022 years of assessment, during which
payment of N1,000,000.00, N120,000.00 and N100,000.00 were made respectively.
Notices of additional will be issued, upon conclusion of our review.
“Your are hereby informed that you have the right to object
to this assessment within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of this
notice. Any objection must clearly state the grounds of your objection and be
substantiated with relevant supporting documents.
“Failure to make payment or file objection within the
stipulated period will result in the assessment being deemed final and
conclusive, and recovery proceedings will be initiated without further notice,”
the FCT IRS stated
Melaye, a former member of both the Senate and the House of
Representatives, also served as chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT and
briefly chaired the Senate Committee on Aviation.
He was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the
November 11, 2023, Kogi State governorship election.
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