Court seals Michael Okpara University for tax default

The Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia, has been sealed, following an order of an Umuahia High Court over failure to remit tax deductions from members of the university staff.

The order, which was signed by Justice Kelvin Wosu, was obtained by the state Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) over the non-remittance of N120,751,998 tax by the management of the institution.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) a court bailiff, accompanied by BIR officials and security operatives, sealed up the university gate in the early hours of Tuesday.

The development disrupted academic activities in the institution as both students and workers could not gain access into the campus from the main gate.

The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mrs Adanma Odefa, confirmed the incident to NAN in a telephone interview.

Odefa, however, said that the university management met with the BIR officials and “they have sorted out the issue and the place has been unsealed.”

The court order read in part “that the university has been owing the BIR the sum of N120,751,998, which became due to the board, and the institution has refused to remit within the time limited by the demand notice.”