By Davidson Ogbebor

BENIN CITY — The Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) has sealed the premises of Rongtai Plastic Company Limited and eight other companies operating in Utesi Community, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, over alleged unpaid tax liabilities totalling ₦8.982 billion.

The enforcement action, carried out on October 29, 2026, followed the companies’ alleged failure to fulfil their statutory tax obligations, according to a statement issued by the EIRS.

The affected companies include Rongtai Hardware Limited, Rongtai Energy Technology Company Limited, Rongtai Building Materials Company Limited, Rongtai Food Company Limited, Five Star Wire and Cable Company, Xin Guo Technology Nigeria Limited, Changrong Wood Nigeria Limited and Shunda Nigeria Enterprise.

According to the revenue agency, the outstanding liabilities relate to failures to register employees for Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax, file annual employers’ tax returns, and deduct and remit PAYE taxes as required by law.

The EIRS said it had individually notified the nine companies of their assessed tax liabilities and issued repeated reminders and demands for compliance. However, the companies allegedly failed to settle their outstanding obligations, prompting the agency to initiate enforcement proceedings.

The agency said the premises were sealed pursuant to court orders under its legal powers of distraint, adding that the enforcement measures would remain in force until the outstanding tax liabilities were settled.

The EIRS maintained that the affected companies would have to meet their outstanding tax obligations before the seals could be removed.

The statement was signed by Courage Eboigbe, Head of Corporate Communications and Taxpayers Enlightenment Service of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service.