Some men, who claimed to be officials of Delta State Revenue Board in branded T-shirts have allegedly extorted a distressed Secondary School Teacher on her way to hospital in Ughelli of N35,000.

This came as residents and vehicle owners have lamented the activities of these men often in company of policemen, who barricade major roads, extort the public on daily basis in Ughelli.

The secondary school teacher, who craved anonymity was rushing her sick daughter to the hospital, when the said officials of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue task force extorted N35,000 from her without issuing her a receipts.

The teacher, attached to a secondary in Ughelli metropolis was flagged down by the task force led by one Samson Igho as Chairman on the Isoko Road by Oharisi Primary School.

The teacher lamented: “I was rushing my daughter to Ufor hospital on Thursday for an emergency when they stopped me and demanded my driver’s licence, and I explained to them that my driver’s license was in my bag at school, but they insisted that I cannot leave except I provided it.

“But life first, I had to abandoned the car since all explanations fell on deaf ears and carried my daughter on an Okada (motorcycle) and left for the hospital hoping to meet them when I returned.

“But to my surprise, before I returned from the hospital, they drove my car without minding if I had important valuables in the vehicle. They drove the car to a place they called their office.

“When I got to the place located on the premises of the VIO and DESTMA, in Ughelli opposite Obukowho Demonstration School, they told me that my offence of driving without my license was N35,000. I then demanded for a government account, where I would pay the money, but they refused and demanded for cash payment.

“They directed that I should go to a POS, were I withdrew N35,000 and paid cash to them. I requested for a receipt but they said they don’t issue receipt.

“One of them said to me in a very rude manner that, after a week if I am caught driving without my driver’s license, my car would still be impounded and I will be made to pay same amount.”

However, when contacted on his phone, the task force Chairman, Mr. Samson Igho denied the allegations, saying: “I am on the road and my people cannot do such thing as all of them are parents and cannot do such to someone taking her daughter to the hospital nor will they charge such amount from someone because of driver’s license.

“This is not what we can discuss on the phone, we need to see and talk. I am in a noisy place and beside, I don’t live in Ughelli.”

Vanguard investigation reveals that the Revenue task force often harassed and embarrassed motorists on daily basis on the Isoko road. (Vanguard)

•Delta State Board of Internal Revenue

Update news