Anambra businessmen lament harassment by tax collectors

ONITSHA, Anambra – Business men in Anambra state have lamented harassment  by  agents of the Anambra State Government in  the pretext of collecting taxes.

Our investigation revealed that the revenue collectors use  members  of the  Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC and the Anambra Traffic Management Agency ATMA to   beat up  and torture people.  

There are cases where the tax collectors and traders  exchange  blows over alleged none payment of taxes.  However some of the  traders and  businessmen in the state have sworn to attack any security personnel and officers of the Anambra State Revenue Agency found trying to collect money from them.

Recently  at a popular bar and restaurant in Awka , members of the Civil Defence Corps and ATMA stormed the area and forcefully dragged a customer who was drinking at the bar into a Black Maria at gun point, alleging failure to pay tax .

Similarly two members of the National Youth Service Corps NYSC working at the restaurant were also forced into the Black Maria at gun point when they could not find the owner of the restaurant.

Also at Onitsha bridge head,  three  persons were beaten  by security operatives in the state  for alleged refusal to pay sanitation levies even when the victims claimed they have paid.

According to them it is  Onitsha South Local Government Area that has the statutory right to collect sanitation levies and not  the  Anambra Internal Revenue Board.

Narrating his  ideals to reporters,  Mr Chukwudi Ndukwe said that he had come to eat at the restaurant and was drinking a glass of juice while awaiting his food when some people  stormed the restaurant I like commandos,  cocked their guns and asked him to enter the Black Maria.

“When we asked about our offence,  they said that if we talk again they would open fire on me. They pushed  me into the Black Maria and even a lawyer that came to eat was warned not to talk or he would be bundled into the Black Maria

“They took me along with two other persons and dumped us at the Revenue House Awka inside another Black Maria parked under the sun and it took the intervention of staff of the agency for me to be released and I am not the owner the restaurant” he said.

One of the two Corps members Mr Afam Okoye lamented that he and his colleague, who were  account officer at the restaurant were arrested even  when they identified themselves as corps members.

“They forced us into the Black Maria at gun point and released us after over two hours and we had earlier made them to speak with our boss and they cut the phone and bundled us into the Black Maria; he said.

Meanwhile some Onitsha traders have conclude plans to  mount road blocks and ambush for security operatives and revenue agents for a likely reprisal attack on them. They alleged that they  were being extorted by the tax force with the use of the Civil Defence officers.

When contacted the Public Relations Officer for NSCDC Mr  Edwin Okadigbo said that he is not aware of the incidence adding that he needs to be properly briefed before he can speak on the matter.