The Executive Chairman of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKIRS), Olaniran Olatona, has warned taxpayers against engaging in tax evasion, forgery, false declarations and other revenue-related offences, threatening to invoke relevant provisions of the law against offenders.

Olatona said the Service would not hesitate to prosecute individuals and businesses found guilty of obstructing tax officials, evading tax obligations, falsifying documents or failing to file returns as required by law.

The EKIRS chairman gave the warning at a two-day training workshop organised for Revenue Court Judges and Magistrates in Ekiti State at the Revenue House, Ado-Ekiti.

He stressed that the Service was committed to strengthening tax compliance through lawful enforcement mechanisms, while ensuring that taxpayers’ rights were protected and disputes resolved within the framework of the law.

Olatona, however, disclosed that EKIRS was open to continuous review and possible amendments of the state’s tax laws to address ambiguities and controversial provisions, particularly in the Ekiti State Revenue Administration Law, 2025.

He said the Service welcomed constructive criticism and recommendations from legal practitioners, judicial officers and other stakeholders to ensure that the legislation provided adequate legal safeguards for the government, the revenue authority and taxpayers.

According to him, the workshop was designed to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for sustaining the state’s rising revenue profile without resorting to coercive enforcement measures such as roadblocks and closure of business premises.

He also assured the judiciary of EKIRS’ commitment to maintaining a harmonious working relationship with the courts, noting that effective collaboration was essential to deepening public confidence in tax administration and curbing revenue-related offences.

In his remarks, the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, expressed satisfaction with the existing relationship between EKIRS and the judiciary.

Justice Ogunmoye, represented by Justice Olalekan Olatawura assured the revenue authority that the judiciary would continue to discharge its responsibilities and provide the necessary support towards effective tax administration in the state.

In a paper titled, “Pre-litigation Dispute Resolution, Burden and Standard of Proof in Tax Disputes,” a facilitator and University of Lagos lecturer, Prof. Abiola Sanni, SAN, said effective tax dispute resolution required a delicate balance between protecting public revenue and safeguarding taxpayers’ rights.

Sanni recommended sustained training for revenue officers, legal practitioners and judges, as well as timely legislative reviews, to strengthen public confidence in tax administration and promote fair, efficient and credible tax justice.

He urged EKIRS to invest in continuous capacity-building programmes for its officers, while encouraging judges to remain abreast of developments in tax law, promote consistency in tax adjudication and uphold relevant statutory provisions.

The commercial law expert also advocated regular reviews of tax legislation to eliminate ambiguities, strengthen procedural safeguards and improve the effectiveness of tax dispute resolution.

Another facilitator, Kolawole Abdusalam, in a paper titled, “Landmark Cases on Tax Evasion, Tax Avoidance, Tax Assessment Disputes and the Role of the Courts,” described the judiciary as a critical institution in tax administration.

He noted that although government possessed constitutional and statutory powers to impose and collect taxes, such powers must be exercised strictly within the confines of the law.