Authorities in Ebonyi State have arrested five individuals suspected of illegally collecting revenue at the International Market in Abakaliki. The arrests were carried out on Tuesday by operatives from the Board of Internal Revenue and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
During the raid, the suspects were found at various locations in the market, where they were allegedly collecting unauthorized taxes from vendors. Confiscated items included receipt booklets and cash collected from vendors, many of whom were poor women and children selling small goods such as sachet water and vegetables.
Some of the vendors reported that these illegal collectors had been extorting them daily, demanding between 50 and 100 naira, and sometimes confiscating their goods if they could not pay.
Emmanuel Elechi, who led the Revenue Board team, explained that the arrests were part of efforts to enforce Governor Francis Nwifuru’s directive, which exempts petty traders from paying revenue. Elechi emphasized that the governor’s decision was intended to ease the burden on low-income earners, but that some individuals were undermining this effort for personal gain. He added that the board would continue to arrest and prosecute illegal collectors to deter similar actions.
This crackdown follows the recent introduction of an e-ticketing system for commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators in the state to help prevent revenue losses and improve security.
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