Information reaching 247ureports.com has revealed how Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu created various taskforce teams to extort money from traders at Ariaria International Market, Aba.
The taskforce groups which operate under different names, Ikpeazu Boys, People from Governor’s Office, Okezuo Abia Boys, Aba Urban Renewal team, Abia State Market Development Committee, among others, sell several tickets which traders must pay or court the trouble of the groups which leads to the confiscating of their wares.
Loading ...According to traders at the A-Line section of the market, “these taskforce teams have become a pain in our neck. The worst thing is that they collect the same levy; imagine a group will come and disturb us for one levy or the other, the next minute another comes for the same levy that we should settle them that they are from the governor’s office. The thing is embarrassing. With the way they operate, it is like Governor Okezie Ikpeazu sent them to go and collect their daily breads from Ariaria market. They don’t give us breathing space”.
“We have reported severally to the government, yet nothing has been done. Last week, one of us almost beaten to death because he refused to pay same levy twice, but the people insisted that they are from the governor’s office, that their department is different. It is worrisome that allowed such extortion in these hard times when traders find it difficult to break even.” The traders lamented.
The traders further alleged that the taskforce has continued to threaten to demolish their shops if they don’t settle. “We are forced to part as much as N2, 000 daily as settlement to these taskforce people. You cant count the fees we pay at this market including the ones we pay to the local governments. We can’t tell how a governor can unleash thugs at a market like a Ariaria.”
A trader, who simply gave his name as Ikechukwu, lamented that government has turned a blind eye to the atrocities committees by the taskforce even when roads in the market are impassable.
“There is no road here. This is why you see everybody marching with rain boots. We have even bought rain boots for our customers to wade through the flood. Look at Ukwu mango, Faulks road, A line and others, it is just flood, we hardly make sales, yet government doesn’t care. What they are interested is to send thugs to harass us daily. Imagine a government sending thugs to confiscate our goods. Ikpeazu’s administration is a government of thugs. Nothing has changed in Abia state. We are suffering.”
When asked about the reaction of their union leaders, they said the union is handicapped as they will be removed if they raise any objection to the extortion.
Several calls and text messages made to Ikpeazu’s Chief Press Secretary, God win Adindu, was unanswered as at press time, but one of the governor’s numerous media aides who pleaded not to be quoted, said people have been using the name of the governor to extort residents of Aba, and warned an action would soon be taken to stop them.
