The Kwara State Internal Revenue Service on Thursday dragged the authorities of the University of Ilorin to court for allegedly withholding about N971m taxes from the state.

The matter is before an Ilorin High Court presided over by Justice Ayinla Bamgbola.

According to the charge sheet made available to journalists in Ilorin, the plaintiff through its counsel, Funso Lawal, claimed the outstanding/debts arose from alleged unremitted taxes/levies due to the state government from the university.

The period, the statement added, covered between January 2004 and December 2008.

The plaintiff claimed an outstanding Pay As You Earn tax of N579m; outstanding withholding tax of N149m; state development levy of N1.6m; statutory penalty at 10 per cent totaling N72.8m; and statutory interest at 21 per cent (until judgment is given) amounting to N168.5m.

The plaintiff said, "The defendant is a direct employer within jurisdiction and is under the combined provisions of the Personal Tax Act, Board of Internal Revenue Law and other Laws on tax, statutorily responsible for the deduction of PAYE tax on the income of its staff; deduct withholding tax on contracts awarded and to deduct N100 per annum, per employee as development levy."