Imo State Government says it has arrested some hoodlums who impounded about 50 trucks conveying essential food items and medication through the state.
It was reported that the culprits had said they were acting on behalf of the state government.
They were reported to have collected N50,000 from each of the trucks as a condition for allowing them to pass through the state.
In a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, the state government said the gang of thugs, who perpetrated the illegal act tried to cash in on the COVID-19 lockdown in the state to impose illegal levies on unsuspecting haulage operators.
The commissioner said that the governor’s executive order on lockdown and curfew clearly exempted those on essential duties which include trucks conveying food and beverages.
“Some hoodlums who tried to take advantage of this, formed themselves into an illegal taskforce to extort money from truck drivers and claimed falsely to be agents of government,” he said.
According to Emelumba, “When the situation was brought to the attention of Governor Hope Uzodimma, he directed the Commissioner for Transport, Barr. Rex Anunobi to go with security operatives and disperse the hoodlums which he did and some of the thugs were arrested.”
While expressing regret over the situation, Emelumba assured that all necessary measures have been put in place to ensure that such an ugly situation does not repeat itself.
In another story ,a man simply identified as Owenco was allegedly killed on Friday night after scores of hoodlums went on rampage in Ijeshatedo.
The man, according to a family friend Samuel Salami was matcheted by bandits who stormed the area to rob residents around 7pm.
Salami who took to his Facebook page on Saturday evening to lament the death of his friend’s father, said the old man fell while fleeing from suspected One Million Boys but the hoodlums axed his head and body.
SOURCE: DAILYPOST
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