The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has strongly condemned what it described as an 'embarrassing invasion' of two of its offices by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over alleged non-payment of ground rent.

During a press conference held in Abuja on Monday, FIRS officials including the Director of Facility Management Department, Mr. Tyofa Abeghe, and Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Kunle Ogidi, demanded an apology from the FCTA, asserting that the invasion was unjustifiable and based on erroneous information.

The FIRS categorically denied allegations that it owed 25-year ground rents for its offices located at No. 12 and 14, Sokode Crescent, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja. According to Abeghe, the claim is unfounded as FIRS had already made the required payments.

"A demand notice from Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) dated September 2023, requesting ground rent on the properties, was honored with a payment of N2,364,003 three months after the notice was issued," Abeghe explained.

He further revealed that when the payment had not been receipted and no treasury receipt was issued, he wrote a letter dated February 19, 2024, requesting confirmation of the payment. The letter was acknowledged by AGIS's front desk office but received no response, nor was the payment receipted.

Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Ogidi, accused the FCTA administration of "rascality" and failing to perform due diligence before taking action. "There is no doubt that the FIRS has paid the ground rent in question without fail," he stated.

The Special Adviser on Media, Dare Adekanmbi, questioned the logic behind FCTA's selective targeting of only two FIRS offices. "FIRS has about seven offices in Sokode Crescent alone. Why are we going to pay ground rent on others and leave only two? Does that make sense?" he asked.

Other FIRS officials, including Collins Omokaro and Arabirin Aderonke Atoyebi, emphasized the need to strengthen inter-agency collaboration to prevent similar incidents in the future. They also apologized to staff members and taxpayers who were traumatized during the invasion.

The FIRS maintained that as a law-abiding agency, it does not owe ground rent to the FCTA on any of its offices in the Federal Capital Territory, including the ones that were invaded.

The tax authority clarified that for the two sealed offices located on Plot 627, Sokode Crescent, a sum of N2,364,003.26 covering ground rent for the fiscal years 2000 to 2024 had already been paid.

As of press time, the FCTA had not issued an official response to the allegations made by the FIRS.