A yet to be identified revenue agent yesterday attacked the aged traditional ruler of Ogbor Autonomous Community in Aba North Local council of Abia state, His Royal Majesty , Eze Silvanus Azu Egege over his appeal to them not to terrorize residents in the course of revenue collection.
247ureports.com gathered that the revenue team comprising policemen and touts were said to have invaded the area and embarked on going into houses, beating up some residents before dragging them into a bus.
According to eyewitness accounts, the monarch was said to have rushed to the scene on learning about the development, appealing to the team to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner. “Our Eze came there and told them not to beat up people, that they use do it in a peaceful manner. But they refused boasting that nobody can stop them. One of them just pushed the monarch and he fell to the ground. This action angered the youths of our community, but before we could gather, they all ran away,” one of the youths said.
Speaking with newsmen in his palace, Eze Egege confirmed that he was actually pushed to the ground by a member of the revenue. According to him, I was informed that there was trouble in my neighbourhood because a revenue agent came to arrest people with touts and policemen. I came to the place and appealed to them not to beat up people but one of them challenged me. Before I knew it, he pushed me to the ground. I’m not against anybody collecting revenue from people but it should be done in a peaceful manner. You don’t beat up people because you are given contract to collect revenue. The other time, a policeman accompanying a revenue agent shot tear gas into a building and it nearly killed a pregnant lady who fainted and was revived at the hospital. I’m appealing to the state government to look into the way these agents go about the collection of revenue before they kill people.”
247ureports.com further gathered that youths of the community angered by the attack on their traditional ruler staged a protest march to the offices of revenue agents along Ikot Ekpene road, destroying tables and chairs. One of the agents who gave his name as Uche said he had nothing to do with the community, lamenting that he has reported the invasion of his office to the police.
