By Jamiu Yusuf
ABUJA: Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, is in hot water as the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service FCT-IRS has declared its intention to drag him before a Magistrate Court over an alleged ₦509.6 million tax evasion scandal.
Court filings, as reported by Premium Times, accuse the ex-lawmaker of refusing to pay his Personal Income Tax for 2023 and 2024—pegged at ₦234.9 million and ₦274.7 million respectively.
Beyond that, the tax agency alleges he grossly under-declared his earnings between 2019 and 2022 while remitting only peanuts.
For instance, records show Melaye declared ₦1.25 million income in 2019 but paid just ₦85,000.08 as tax. In 2020, 2021 and 2022, despite declaring millions in earnings, he paid only ₦100,000.08, ₦120,000 and ₦1 million respectively.
A criminal summons issued on August 21, 2025, has ordered Melaye to appear before the Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone II, Abuja, on September 5.
The FCT-IRS said it resorted to a “Best of Judgment Assessment” after repeated notices—including one pasted at his Maitama residence in July—were ignored.
The agency insists his actions breach Section 41 of the Personal Income Tax Act and hinted that further liabilities for earlier years may still follow.
