Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha has ordered the immediate suspension of daily tolls, tickets and taxes from all commercial road users in the state until further notice.

This followed complaints of incessant harassment and extortion of commercial vehicle operators by alleged agents of the Imo State government.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Enlightenment, Prince Eze Ugochukwu in Owerri, yesterday, the decision was taken at the State Executive Council meeting held on November 6, 2019, following a motion by the Imo State of Internal Revenue Service to that effect.

“This ban is with immediate effect and will continue until there is harmonisation and unification on road taxes and elimination of duplicity in revenue collectors to expose the illegal extortionists embarrassing the good image of the government.

“Consequently the general public and security agencies are hereby directed to arrest anyone collecting or purporting to be extorting motorists under the guise of government revenue collectors.”Over 1000 commercial drivers, mainly Taximo buses, last Friday barricaded major roads in the state capital to protest what they described as inhumane and undue extortion from the alleged government agents and hoodlums. They disclosed that they were being compelled to pay over N3,000 daily for different levies and taxes.

(The Guardian)

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