The Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, sealed the premises of Oyichiri Gas Plant at Mobile Junction, along the East-West Road, beside Rumuapara Secondary School in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, over alleged outstanding tax obligations.
The facility, leased by Request Oil and Gas, was shut down following the revenue service’s action, leaving offices within the premises sealed and workers unable to continue their duties.
The development comes amid flooding that has affected Rumuapara Secondary School, located close to the gas plant, for the past three weeks. However, the flooding has not affected the premises of Oyichiri Gas Plant.
Speaking on the incident, a supervisor at the facility said the matter had been reported to the company’s management, but it remained unclear whether the outstanding tax liability belonged to Request Oil and Gas or the lessor of the property.
The supervisor explained that the company was awaiting clarification on responsibility for the alleged tax arrears and expressed hope that the matter would be resolved as soon as possible.
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Following the sealing of the premises, all offices within the facility were evacuated and closed, preventing workers from carrying out their regular duties.
Workers who reported for duty were left stranded and advised to return home, as no further work could be carried out on the premises following the revenue service’s action.
The closure has disrupted activities at the gas plant, with operations unable to continue until the tax issue is resolved and the premises are reopened.
As of the time of filing this report, it remained unclear whether the outstanding tax obligations were attributable to Request Oil and Gas, as the lessee, or the lessor of the property. Details regarding the amount involved and the steps being taken to resolve the matter were also unavailable.
The affected workers are expected to await further directives from the company’s management as efforts to resolve the issue continue.
The reopening of the Oyichiri Gas Plant will depend on the resolution of the tax dispute and the lifting of the seal imposed by the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service.
