Court docket summons Dino Melaye over alleged N500m tax default

A Justice of the Peace courtroom within the federal capital territory (FCT) has summoned Dino Melaye, former senator for Kogi West, over allegations of failing to pay his obligatory private earnings tax for 2023 and 2024.

The summons, dated August 21, 2025, and signed by Chiemena Nonye-Okoronkwo, the presiding Justice of the Peace, ordered Melaye to seem earlier than the courtroom in Wuse Zone II on September 5.

Based on the FCT Inside Income Service (FCT-IRS), Melaye additionally has circumstances of underpayment for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Data cited by the company present that the ex-lawmaker paid N85,000.08 in 2019, N100,000.08 in 2020, N120,000 in 2021, and N1 million in 2022 — regardless of declaring larger earnings.

In 2022, for instance, Melaye was stated to have declared an annual earnings exceeding N6.5 million.

The FCT-IRS stated an administrative evaluation was issued for 2023 and 2024 on Might 23, 2025. When Melaye failed to reply inside 30 days, a discover of Better of Judgment (BOJ) evaluation was issued on June 23.

The discover fastened Melaye’s liabilities at N234.9 million for 2023 and N274.7 million for 2024.

“Regardless of reminders and ample time supplied, your non-compliance with Part 41 of the Act constitutes a breach of your obligations,” the discover reads.

“Consequently, the Federal Capital Territory Inside Income Service (FCT-IRS) has, in accordance with Part 54(3) of the Private Earnings Tax Act, proceeded to lift a Better of Judgment Evaluation in respect of your tax liabilities for the years underneath evaluation.

“Accordingly, your tax legal responsibility has been assessed within the sum of N234,896,000.00 and N274,712,000.00 for the interval of 2023 and 2024, respectively. The computation and evaluation are hooked up on your motion.

“Please word that the Service has additionally recognized earnings underneath declaration and underneath cost for the 2020, 2021 and 2022 years of evaluation, throughout which cost of N1,000,000.00, N120,000.00 and N100,000.00 had been made respectively. Notices of extra can be issued upon the conclusion of our evaluation.

“You might be, hereby, knowledgeable that you’ve the fitting to object to this evaluation inside thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of this discover. Any objection should clearly state the grounds of your objection and be substantiated with related supporting paperwork.

“Failure to make cost or file objection inside the stipulated interval will consequence within the evaluation being deemed closing and conclusive, and restoration proceedings can be initiated with out additional discover.”