Oyakhilome’s TV Shut Over Tax Evasion

Officials of the Lagos Internal Revenue
Service, LIRS, have shut down Infinity
Television owned by flamboyant preacher,
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, for owing the
state government several millions.
This is coming on the heels of Tuesday’s
protest by workers of the TV station over
non payment of 10 months salaries and
non-remittance of their Pay As You Earn,
PAYE, tax to the appropriate authorities.
Ailing Infinity TV, located on 16, Moyibat
Oyefusi Street, Omole Phase 1, is a Direct
To Home, DTH cable TV owned by Pastor
Oyakilome of Christ Embassy and was
incorporated in 2009.
As members of staff of the company were
protesting non-payment of salaries on
Tuesday, officials of the LIRS stormed the
premises of the company, shut it down
and placed a notice on the gate after
locking it with padlock.
Some of the workers who spoke with
P.M.NEWS but asked not to be mentioned
said they were ready to protest to Christ
Embassy Church on Oregun Road at the
Cross Over Night on 31 December, 2014
to demand for the payment of their
entitlements since the management of the
company is planning to lay them off
without paying the arrears of their
salaries. “Prior to this time, the staff had
been receiving half salaries (for over a
year) and by June 2014 salaries have not
been paid to date. To worsen the case,
the staff were barred from entering the
office premises by the Chief Operating
Officer, Mr Henry Kifordu.
“All efforts by the staff to meet with the
management proved abortive. Staff taxes
and pensions have been deducted for
years and were never remitted to
appropriate authorities. Infinity TV was
finally locked up for tax evasion on 23
December, 2014,” a staff of the company
told P.M.NEWS.
The aggrieved workers said they were left
with no other option than to take to the
streets to fight for their rights and have
decided to storm Christ Embassy’s 31
December night global service to make
their grievances known to Oyakhilome,
whom, they believed, may not be aware
of the happenings in the company.