Barr. Ugochukwu Ezeani, Chairman, Onitsha South council area on Wednesday arrested two illegal tax collectors in the council area as well as declared one of the fleeing members of syndicate wanted.
It would be recalled that Anambra State government had been losing millions of naira in recent times due to activities of illegal tax, levies and rate collectors especially in Onitsha Municipal area.
Ezeani told newsmen that the arrest was made after a tip off by some public spirited individuals about the illegal tax collection activities of the gang.
He said that the members of the gang caught were arrested along Ochanja Roundabout and Eze Iweka Road this morning.
“We rounded them up through the help of the police and some council officials.
“Those involved included Tochukwu Mba and Michael Okonkwo. The duo caught later confessed that the third member of their syndicate, Kelechi Obiora had run away while siting them struggling with security agents.
“They confessed that they had been collecting the illegal taxes forcefully from traders for over four months now,’’ he said.
The chairman also said that the council area had declared Kelechi Obiora alis Okwuoto, who was a former member of the notorious Ndi-npiawa-azu, wanted.
“We have placed a reward of N200,000 cash to any body that can volunteer information on how to get Kelechi Obiora,’’ it added.
Ezeani said that the new move to clamp down on illegal collectors of taxes and revenues accruable to the government was in line with Gov. Peter Obi’s Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS).
In a related development, Chief Innocent Agudiegwu, Chairman, Onitsha Main Amalgamated Traders’ Union (OMMATU), has embarked on aggressive road decongestion in the market especially along Kano Street, Sokoto Road and Bright Street.
“This is to pave way for free-flow of traffic and help to clear the market roads and streets of obstructions that impede vehicular and human movement.
“We have set-up a seven traffic taskforce in the market and from now henceforth, we believe that our roads and streets would be free in the interest of business and general well being of our customers,’’ Agudiegwu said.
