The former CEO of Lagos State Internal Revenue Service and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Babatunde Fowler, is being interrogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over N100 billion tax evasion allegations preferred against a tax firm, Alpha Beta Consulting. He was said to have visited the EFCC office on Monday November 2, following an invitation.
The former MD/CEO, Alpha Beta Consulting, Mr. Dapo Apara, accused the firm of tax fraud to the tune of N100 billion.
In 2018, the MD wrote a petition to the EFCC noting that Alpha Beta, the firm given exclusive rights to monitor and collect Internally Generated Revenue on behalf of the Lagos Government, “has become an avenue for official corruption of government officials, a conduit pipe for massive money-laundering scheme, tax evasion, among other vices”.
In the petition which was written by his lawyer, Adetunji Shoyoye and Associates and signed by Adetunji Adegboyega, Apara claimed that some powerful politicians in the state have protected the firm.
The petition stated, “Over the years the company has been protected and shielded by some powerful politicians and people in the society which made them to always boast of being untouchable.
“But our client, feeling the need not to keep quiet again and strengthened by his belief in the fact that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is keen on fighting corruption, which has been the bane of our country, is of the firm belief that it’s time to expose and open the can of worms called Alpha Beta Consulting.”