The Anambra State House of Assembly has been petitioned by the Joint Transporters Forum of Anambra State, which is made up of commercial bus drivers, including those of tricycle and shuttle buses, regarding allegations of extortion, revenue diversion, harassment, and other egregious behavior on the part of the Anambra State Inland Revenue Services and the Anambra State Joint Task Force on revenue collection.
The group claims in a petition to the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly dated August 4, 2023, and signed by the President of the Joint Task Force, Moses Ohanebo, and the Assistant Secretary, Innocent Obagha, that some government officials have reconstituted the state Task Force, which Governor Chukwuma Soludo recently disbanded, and are using it to extort and divert government funds, which is contrary to the reasons behind their previous formations.
The group also alleged that the illegal task force officials and other illegal revenue collectors were being used by revenue racketeers to launch attacks on their members, detain and inflict pain on them, thereby adversely affecting the welfare of their members.
The petition reads in part, “We are aware of Governor Soludo’s new digital revenue collections and we are in full support of the innovation.
“We are also aware that two outfits were involved in the enforcement of this digital collection. These outfits are Ocha Brigade and ANJET.
“That these two outfits suddenly deviated from their terms of reference and engaged into all manner of criminalities and social vices particularly ANJET which include Increasing penalties from N5,000 to N10,000 respectively for tricycle operators.
“And buses from N15,000 to N30,000. They arbitrarily arrest, detain and extort drivers of buses to the tune of between N30,000 to N50,000 depending on the situation.
“Arresting and unlawfully detaining drivers who refuse to pay such illegal penalties in a Black Maria vehicle stationed at Upper lweka where ANJET have their office, and collection of the sum of N100,000 as bail fee from each of the detained persons in the Black Maria.
“Officers of ANJET and the few from Ocha Brigade have started invading us again in the same manner they used to do hence the need for this petition as we have also drawn the attention of the Commissioner of Police and Director of DSS as well as Mr. Governor to this ugly trend.”
The group, therefore, called on the state House of Assembly to quickly intervene in the matter to avoid possible breakdown of law and order and “such pillage of the state revenue.”
When contacted, the Director in Charge of Operations, AIRS, Dr. Christian Madubuko, said he was not part of the reconstitution of ANJET.
Madubuko said, “The old task force that was disbanded was brought together and their uniform was changed. I heard they were reconstituted by the Acting chairman.”
Post Disclaimer
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author and forum participants on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Anaedo Online or official policies of the Anaedo Online.