Former Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, is set to appear in court over alleged failure to pay his mandatory Personal Income Tax for 2023 and 2024, alongside claims of underpayment for 2020, 2021, and 2022.
A criminal summons issued by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Magistrate Court on August 21, 2025, directs Melaye to appear before the Magistrate Court at Wuse Zone II, Abuja, on September 5, 2025.
The FCT Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stated that Melaye’s payments in previous years were significantly lower than his declared incomes. While he paid N85,000.08 in 2019, N100,000.08 in 2020, N120,000 in 2021, and N1,000,000 in 2022, he had declared annual earnings far above these amounts—for example, over N6.5 million in 2022.
For 2023 and 2024, an administrative tax assessment was issued on May 23, 2025. When Melaye did not respond within 30 days, a notice of best judgment assessment followed on June 23, 2025. Efforts to deliver the notice personally or through a representative failed, leading the IRS to post it on the gate of his Maitama, Abuja residence on July 9, 2025.
The notice placed Melaye’s total tax liabilities for 2023 and 2024 at N234,896,000 and N274,712,000 respectively. It further highlighted under-declaration and underpayment for 2020, 2021, and 2022, with additional notices expected after review.
The FCT IRS emphasized that Melaye has the right to object within 30 days, warning that failure to pay or contest the assessment would make it final and trigger recovery proceedings.
Melaye, a former member of both the Senate and House of Representatives, also served as chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT and briefly led the Senate Committee on Aviation. He contested as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the November 11, 2023, Kogi State governorship election.
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