FIRS Slams FCTA Over Abuja Office Sealing, Denies Ground Rent Debt and Demands Public Apology
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has come out strongly to refute allegations made by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) regarding the alleged non-payment of ground rent on some of its properties in Abuja. The tax authority not only denied owing any arrears but also demanded a formal public apology from the FCTA for what it described as an unjust and embarrassing action—sealing one of its operational offices in Nigeria’s capital city.
This public confrontation between two government institutions erupted on Monday, May 20, 2025, when FCTA officials, as part of a broader clampdown on property owners who allegedly defaulted on statutory ground rent obligations, sealed off a building housing FIRS staff. The development, which quickly attracted media attention and public scrutiny, raised questions about inter-agency coordination, the accuracy of debt recovery drives, and the optics of governmental bodies appearing to work at cross-purposes.
FIRS Responds: We Do Not Owe Ground Rent
Speaking at an emergency press briefing organized to address the controversy, Mr. Dare Adekanmbi, the Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the Executive Chairman of FIRS, firmly stated that the agency had met all its legal obligations concerning the property in question. He dismissed the FCTA’s actions as reckless and misleading, describing the office sealing as a case of “institutional rascality.”
“We are astonished by this blatant misrepresentation and high-handedness,” Adekanmbi stated. “The FIRS has settled all ground rent fees for its offices in Abuja, including the one which was disgracefully sealed off. For that specific property, we made a payment of ₦2,364,326. So, we are perplexed as to why this incident occurred.”
Adekanmbi emphasized that FIRS, as a leading federal agency responsible for tax administration in Nigeria, always complies with the law. He argued that such behavior from another government agency undermines public trust and projects a disjointed image of the Nigerian government.
Inconsistencies in FCTA’s Actions Questioned
Continuing his address, Adekanmbi raised critical questions about the rationale behind the FCTA’s selective enforcement. According to him, if the FCTA genuinely believed that FIRS was in default, then a more constructive and private inter-agency engagement should have been pursued, rather than a public display that discredits an institution pivotal to the country’s fiscal stability.
“Why target only two of our facilities and claim we haven’t paid ground rent on them?” he asked rhetorically. “Are they suggesting that we made payments for the rest of our offices and just conveniently forgot about these two? That’s simply illogical. We paid ground rent on all our listed Abuja properties.”
He further alleged that despite payments being made and documented, the FCTA failed to issue official receipts. “We don’t know why they refused to acknowledge the payments or issue receipts,” he said. “Instead, they chose to embarrass a federal agency performing critical national duties.”
A Call for Public Apology and Transparency
Demanding accountability, Adekanmbi called for an immediate public apology from the officials of the FCTA responsible for the office closure. He argued that the action was not just ill-advised but also sends the wrong message to Nigerians and the international community about internal governance and protocol among public institutions.
“We are demanding a full apology from the FCTA. This kind of overzealous enforcement must be addressed,” he stressed. “This is not how one government body should treat another, especially one as pivotal as the FIRS.”
Adekanmbi reminded the public that the FIRS plays a critical role in generating revenue that sustains the nation. “In 2024 alone, from January to December, 65 percent of all revenue shared at the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings came from taxes collected by the FIRS. That is how consequential this agency is.”
The FIRS: Nigeria’s Economic Engine
The Federal Inland Revenue Service is the backbone of Nigeria’s revenue generation machinery. Charged with the responsibility of assessing, collecting, and accounting for tax revenues accruable to the Federal Government, FIRS remains a vital institution in the country’s push for economic self-reliance. In recent years, under the current administration’s fiscal reforms, the agency has witnessed improvements in tax collection, compliance enforcement, and digitalization of the tax system.
The current leadership at the FIRS, supported by seasoned professionals like Adekanmbi, has steered the agency towards improved service delivery, increased public engagement, and aggressive closing of revenue leakages. The sealing of one of its offices, therefore, is not just an operational disruption but also a symbolic affront to a central economic actor.
Implications of Inter-Agency Conflict in Nigeria’s Public Sector
The recent sealing of a Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) office by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has sparked serious concerns about inter-agency relationships within the Nigerian government. While the FCTA claims it acted in response to unpaid ground rent, the FIRS insists it had fulfilled all its obligations and was unfairly targeted.
Beyond the immediate dispute, this incident points to a larger issue: the lack of effective communication and coordination between government agencies. Experts argue that shutting down a sister agency’s office over a contested claim should have been a last resort, not the first step. Internal issues like these should be resolved through formal channels, such as written notices, joint verification, and open dialogue—not through dramatic enforcement actions that disrupt operations and attract negative public attention.
Policy analysts warn that such public confrontations damage not only the reputations of the agencies involved but also public trust in governance. When federal institutions appear to be in conflict, it raises doubts about their capacity to work together for the national interest.
“This is not just a dispute over ground rent,” said an Abuja-based analyst. “It reflects a deeper problem of how government bodies manage disagreements and uphold mutual respect.”
Stronger collaboration, improved documentation, and institutional accountability are essential for avoiding such incidents in the future. If agencies within the same federal structure cannot maintain a cooperative relationship, it undermines their shared responsibility to serve the Nigerian people efficiently and professionally.
Moving forward, stakeholders emphasize the need for clear guidelines on inter-agency engagement and conflict resolution, to ensure that internal disagreements do not result in actions that compromise public service delivery or disrupt national development.
Ground Rent in FCT: A Legal Obligation with Growing Enforcement
Ground rent in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is a legal requirement imposed on land and property owners as part of their statutory obligations under land use and tenancy regulations. In recent times, the FCTA has intensified efforts to recover these payments, citing revenue needs and the goal of improving urban development.
The clampdown, which has affected various individuals and corporate bodies, is designed to enforce compliance. However, critics argue that some of the enforcement actions lack clarity and adequate pre-notification, leading to confrontations like the one involving the FIRS.
An anonymous FCTA official defended the agency’s position, saying that the sealing of the FIRS office followed due process. “We served notices, and our records indicated default. If they have contrary evidence, we’re open to resolving the matter,” he said. “No agency is above the law, not even the FIRS.”
The Need for Dialogue Over Dramatization
While laws must be enforced, many experts and stakeholders believe that inter-agency misunderstandings such as this can be resolved through improved communication and documentation, not dramatic actions that cause public embarrassment or operational setbacks.
A senior lawyer, Barr. Ifeoma Anozie, commented, “Government agencies must recognize that their actions carry public consequences. There are lawful procedures for dispute resolution. Public sealing of offices, especially federal institutions like FIRS, should be a last resort after all other engagement channels have failed.”
She added that such issues, if unresolved, can erode citizen trust and create public confusion about who is right and who is wrong. “The impression is that government does not speak with one voice,” she said.
Restoring Institutional Respect and Public Trust
The controversy has ignited a public conversation about the need to ensure mutual respect among government institutions. The FIRS maintains that it has always respected the laws and administrative regulations governing property ownership and tenancy. It now expects that the same level of respect should be reciprocated.
Adekanmbi reiterated that the FIRS does not intend to escalate the issue but will not shy away from defending its reputation and the integrity of its operations. “We don’t want inter-agency rivalry, but we won’t fold our hands when our name is dragged through the mud,” he said.
He concluded the press briefing by calling for transparency and improved data sharing between agencies like the FCTA and FIRS. “Let’s build a unified system where payments are easily verified, receipts are promptly issued, and enforcement actions are based on accurate, current records,” he urged.
Looking Ahead: A Lesson in Governance
As the dust settles, many observers hope that this episode serves as a learning point for better institutional governance. With rising public expectations and a challenging economic landscape, Nigeria cannot afford to have key agencies working at cross-purposes.
The FIRS continues to carry out its national mandate of generating tax revenue that powers government operations, infrastructure projects, social programs, and national defense. For an agency playing such a vital role, coordinated support—not confrontation—should be the norm.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration, on its part, must also ensure that its enforcement drives are transparent, fair, and informed by up-to-date data. When institutions fail to coordinate, the real losers are the Nigerian people who depend on seamless public service delivery.