Osun Government Shuts Down Obafemi Awolowo University Over Alleged N1.8BN Tax Evasion

Officials of the Osun State Internal Revenue Service (OIRS) has shut down the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, over its failure to remit over N1.844,770,939.45 to the agency. Officials of the Revenue Task Force led by one Oladipo Babatunde, arrived the campus at about 7am today, sealed the Senate Chamber and the administrative building of the institution before proceeding to seal the main gate, leaving the pedestrian gate unlocked.

Babatunde in a chat with newsmen, said the institution owed the state government about N1.8 billion and has failed to meet up the 7-day deadline given to the school management to clear the debt.

Reacting to the development, the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olanrewaju, said the tax outstanding was accumulated by past administrations of the school. He however added that the school management is working to resolve the issue and get the institution re-opened.

“I must add this that the present university administration since 2017 has been paying consistently but the backlog of debt inherited from the past administration is what is causing this little problem. Everything will be resolved by the grace of God. The school management is assuring the public that it will soon be resolved,” he said