7th September, 2020
Union Bank Nigeria Limited has said it would respond to the closure of its Lokoja Branch by the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service ( (KGIRS)) through the appropriate channels. This, according to the bank, is in an effort to ensure fair and proper assessment, and subsequently, prompt resolution of the situation and reduce the inconvenience to customers
The bank, in a statement, said as an institution with a proven track record of responsible corporate citizenship, “it takes civic obligations seriously.” It said that for the benefit of our customers, the press, and members of the general public, “we wish to state the following, with regard to the above-mentioned incident.
The bank added: “Occasionally, as in this case, we may disagree with state entities over the objectivity of tax assessments carried out relating to our business. These are typically resolved through rigorous professional reviews and audits, and sometimes through legal channels.”
“We are therefore disappointed that in this instance, the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service has chosen to escalate the issue rather than work through a professional review process to seek a prudent resolution.
“We are directing our response through the appropriate channels as our objective is to ensure fair and proper assessment, and subsequently, prompt resolution of the situation to reduce the inconvenience to our customers.”
The bank then urged customers impacted by the closure to choose convenient digital channels – UnionOnline, UnionMobile and *826# – which are available 24/7 for their banking needs.
Kogi Government on Friday, 4 September, sealed off a Union Bank of Nigeria branch in the state. Barrister Isa Jamil, the Director, Legal Services, KGIRS, said it was because of the tax debts the bank owed the state government.