Dino Melaye faces ₦500m tax evasion suit

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Magistrate Court sitting in Abuja has issued a criminal summons against former Senator Dino Melaye over alleged tax evasion amounting to about ₦500 million.

The summons, dated August 21, 2025, requires Melaye to appear before the Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone II on September 5, 2025 to answer to the allegations.

According to the FCT Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), the disputed sum arises from unpaid personal income tax liabilities for 2023 and 2024. Records show that the former lawmaker owes ₦234.896 million for 2023 and ₦274.712 million for 2024, as assessed through a “Best of Judgment” notice issued on June 23, 2025.

The tax authority explained that the assessment followed Melaye’s failure to respond to an earlier administrative notice dated May 23, 2025, within the stipulated 30 days. This, the FCT-IRS said, compelled it to rely on the best-of-judgment method to determine his tax obligations.

Further investigations are ongoing into his tax records for 2020, 2021, and 2022, with additional assessments expected once the review is concluded. Available records indicate that while Melaye paid ₦85,000.08 in 2019, ₦100,000.08 in 2020, ₦120,000 in 2021, and ₦1 million in 2022, his declared income during the period was substantially higher — including more than ₦6.5 million in 2022 alone.

The FCT-IRS has warned that the ₦509 million liability will become final and binding if Melaye fails to file an objection supported by relevant documentation within 30 days of service, or alternatively, if he fails to settle the sum as assessed. Should he default, the Service said, it would proceed with full recovery measures without further notice.