FIGHTING TAX CRIME: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

The importance of tax payment is fundamental to the existence of every nation. Accordingly, tax laws have enshrined the mechanism that will ensure tax compliance. However many African countries have recorded low rate of tax Compliance as a result of different degrees of tax evasion or avoidance and other forms of tax crime. The crimes continue unabated because of inefficient mechanism in compacting tax crime in most African countries and Nigeria in particular. The paper compares the Nigerian experience with other foreign jurisdictions policies and approaches in combating tax crime. This study will be relevant to tax authority and the government especially at this time Nigerian is faced with different tax bills. . The research adopted doctrinal methodology. Accordingly, reliance was placed on the study of both primary and secondary sources of law like the Constitution, Federal and State enactments, text books, journals, newspapers and internet base materials respectively. The study is focused Nigerian law; however, comparative recourse is made to foreign jurisdiction for the purpose of sustaining a persuasive argument. It is found that tax offence is poorly prosecuted in Nigeria unlike other jurisdictions. The work concludes that the penalties for tax crimes in Nigeria consist of inconsequential fines that lack sufficient deterrence mechanism to tax crimes; and that there should be sanctions against the government when it fails in its tax obligation to the people. It is therefore recommended that Nigerian tax laws on offence and penalties require some overhaul that will entrench stiffer penalties to tax offence.