The Anambra State Government has arrested six suspected illegal revenue collectors operating around the River Niger bridge corridors and nearbycommunities in Ogbaru Local Government Area.
The suspects were apprehended on Monday at various locations during a coordinated enforcement exercise by the state’s Special Anti-Touting Squad, following intelligence reports that they had been extorting residents, transport operators and investors under the guise of levy collection.
Speaking on the operation, the Managing Director of the squad, Mr Monday Nwokoye, said the arrests were carried out in compliance with Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s directive banning unauthorised cash collections across the state.
Nwokoye explained that the exercise was prompted by tip-offs from members of the public who complained that some individuals had been stopping people on roads and forcefully collecting money under false pretences.
He said the suspects were arrested after investigations confirmed that they were involved in illegal activities across Ogbaru and the Head Bridge axis.
According to him, the state government has mandated that all legitimate levies must be paid only through the official state point-of-sale system to promote transparency, accountability and proper documentation.
Nwokoye warned that anyone found collecting money from residents, visitors, commercial drivers, tricycle operators or traders without authorisation would be arrested and prosecuted.
“Anambra is not a haven for touts. We will continue to clamp down on illegal operators to protect investors and maintain order in public spaces,” he added.
The arrests come weeks after the Anambra State Government, through the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, apprehended seven suspected illegal revenue collectors across several communities in the state.
Those suspects were picked up in Umueze Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area, Umueri in Anambra East and Nkpor along Obosi Road in Idemili North Local Government Area.
The Commander of the AIRS Special Squad, Mr Nathan Obikwelu, had said the earlier arrests followed a report that some individuals allegedly stopped a tricycle operator conveying cartons of fish in Umueri and demanded an illegal levy from him.
