The Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, yesterday, sealed facilities of telecommunications giants, MTN and Airtel as well as Forte Oil and Bank of Agriculture for failing to pay taxes totalling N470 million.

The Director, Legal Services and Enforcement, of the revenue service, Barrister Jamil Isah, who led his team to seal the critical facilities of the two telecom service providers at Mount Patti, Obajana and other places in Lokoja, disclosed that Airtel owed over N321m while MTN owed N140m tax.

Isah added that the offices of Forte Oil and Bank of Agriculture were sealed off for their failure to meet their tax obligations amounting to N5m and N4m respectively.

“For quite some time, we have diligently approached the two telecom service providers – MTN and Airtel – to pay some of their tax liabilities to the state government but they refused to cooperate with us.

“We then proceeded to the state High Court of Justice and the court, having looked into the case, granted us an order authorising us to seal their facilities until those obligations are discharged by the affected organizations and that was what we have done to ensure that they pay the tax,” he said.

According to him, Airtel had for long refused to pay its annual rent for the laying of fiber cable in the state.