75 Illegal Revenue Collectors Sent To Prison In Anambra

75 Illegal Revenue Collectors Sent To Prison In Anambra

The Anambra State Government has confirmed that about 75 persons have been sent to prison for collecting illegal revenue from unsuspecting members of the public without recourse to the suspension of levies in the state by the state governor, Willie Obiano.

Commissioner for trade and commerce, Mr. Christian Madubuko, who briefed journalists on Monday while parading three persons including a traditional chief who were arrested for extorting from traders using fake receipts, said the suspects would also be handed over to the police who would, in turn, charge them to court for prosecution.

The ministry has recently intensified efforts on the clampdown of illegal revenue collectors after Governor Willie Obiano suspended the collection of levies in the state.

Madubuko confirmed that about 100 persons have so far been arrested in the state for the offense and that his office would not relent until all fake revenue agents were cleared from the state.

“Go to the Niger Bridgehead in Onitsha, once you enter the state from Asaba, they start harassing you with all manner taxes, and that does not tell good of our state. This must stop. We are handing these suspects over to the police who will charge them to court,” he said.

The suspects: Nze Francis Eze; leader of the revenue collection, Mr. Vincent EzeObi, the driver and Gilbert Ugochukwu, were arrested in Ekwulobia market, Aguata local government, while extorting money from market men and women.

Madubuko said, “They are enemies of the state government. The government has banned toll collections and yet they are collecting money from people. They are living on extorting money from people. They extort money from traders coming to do business in the state and those doing business in the state. Sometimes they present all kinds of documents authorizing them to carry out their illegal activities.

“Before handing them over to the police, we will take out time to call the traditional ruler and the local government authority, which they are claiming empowered them to collect the levies. Of course, I am sure they are lying because the state government cannot suspend levies and you say a traditional ruler authorized you.”