By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Benue State Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, Monday revealed that it has impounded 14 trucks loaded with Ilmenite also known as Titanium-Iron Oxide, mined from Kwande local government area of Benue State.
Acting executive chairman of the service, Emmanuel Agema, who led a team of police personnel accompanied by the Director Enforcement, Titus Ningir and the Director Tax Assessment, Titus Aondoakaa, to Adikpo the local government headquarters, said the trucks were impounded for not paying the due and appropriate taxes as contained in the Benue State Revenue Administration Law.
The chairman in a statement signed by his media assistant Jacintha Bernard made available to journalists in Makurdi, also frowned at the non-transparent of miners who he noted have made tax assessment for the companies inadequate.
He further charged field staff of the service to always make independent investigations to ensure proper assessment of the tax payers within their areas of coverage. In a related development, Benue State Government has expressed readiness to scrutinise the data of miners operating in the state to assist government address the insecurity issues associated with illegal mining.
Benue State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Barr. Fidelis Mnyim, made this known during an on the spot visit to some mining sites in Kwande LGA following the impounding of trucks by BIRS for tax evasion.
The Commissioner, who is also the Benue State Chairman of Mineral Resources and Environment Management Committee, MIREMCO, said apart from the efforts of the committee at ensuring that Benue maximises the benefits of her abundant mineral resources through the 13 percent derivation, the committee is meeting with all licenced miners in the state to have them properly documented and flush out all illegal miners whom he noted are mostly associated with insecurity issues.