Dino Melaye in Tax Trouble: Court Summons Ex-Senator Over N500m Default

Former Senator Dino Melaye is once again in the spotlight—this time, not for his trademark theatrics, but for a weighty allegation of tax evasion.

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Magistrate Court has summoned the former Kogi West lawmaker to appear before it on September 5, following a suit filed by the FCT Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS). At issue is an alleged personal income tax default running into more than N500 million.

The case, presided over by Magistrate Chiemena Nonye-Okoronkwo, stems from claims that Melaye failed to pay his personal taxes for the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years, while also under-declaring income in earlier years.

According to FCT-IRS filings, Melaye’s tax records tell a troubling story. He reportedly paid N85,000.08 in 2019, N100,000.08 in 2020, N120,000 in 2021, and N1 million in 2022—amounts the agency insists fall far short of his actual obligations. In 2022 alone, officials note, the former senator declared earnings of more than N6.5 million, yet paid just a fraction in tax.

Matters escalated in May 2025, when the revenue body issued an administrative assessment for 2023 and 2024. Melaye allegedly ignored it. By June, the FCT-IRS resorted to a Best of Judgment (BOJ) assessment, slamming him with a bill of N234.9 million for 2023 and N274.7 million for 2024. In total, his alleged liability now stands at N509.6 million.

In a formal notice, the tax agency said: “Despite reminders and ample time provided, your non-compliance with Section 41 of the Act constitutes a breach of your obligations.”

The summons is the latest test case in Abuja’s push to enforce tax discipline among Nigeria’s elite—a campaign that has long faced accusations of selective enforcement. Whether Melaye’s flamboyance will help or hurt him in court remains to be seen.