Anita Ogona
There was pandemonium on Tuesday morning following a protest by some bus and Minivan drivers at the popular Rumuola flyover over incessant extortion by a known taskforce agent, identified as Julius. uoma Uchenna of the national union of road transport workers NURTW
The Commercial drivers on the aegis of Drivers Welfare Club of Nigeria plying the oyigbo, Aba road to abali park who spoke to our correspondent said everyday they get harassed by these set of taskforce touts despites treaties and series of police arrest he still comes out to harass us on a daily basis.
Another driver said they will stop you for no reason and impound your bus, demand fifteen thousand naira or nothing, You already know the situation in the country, where do we get that kind of money from after buying fuel and fixing the car on a daily basis. we are really tired
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Another driver who identified himself As Peter, Mr P” Said you see this particular set of taskforce has been disturbing us, even when Obio Akpor local government chairman came out said no more tax and declared tax reliefs to mininus drivers and keke operators, This man refused to obey it, another funny thing is that we have a court order against this Mr Julius, Ordering him to stop illegal tax or any form of collection from our drivers but he has refused to obey that court order and instead increased the frequency at which he impounds our buses, we are tired and we have come to say enough is enough
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photos of wounded drivers
The Branch chairman/ Publicity secretary of Drivers Welfare club of Nigeria Mr Christopher Ezeali and the association lawyer with some drivers as at press time was at the police station where we gathered that The said Julius is begging for settlement honestly he has no right to use his escort to do what they did by shooting at drivers, who were demanding for their right,
Mr Christopher said expressed sadness over how some persons act as if they are above the Law, he said imagine if any of those boys have died in the process of fighting for their freedom by now he will be drinking beer, at a motor park Nigeria police will give civilians escort to shot at people, let see how this goes.
Earlier on the rivers state government has disassociated itself from all TAX FORCE activities within the state.
A statement from the Ministry of urban Planning says HERE IS GOVERNMENT SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
The attention of the Rivers State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has been drawn to activities of touts and miscreants posing as officials and taskforces of the Ministry in parts of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor to defraud the public.
The touts and miscreants have been seen around Waterlines, Garrison, Rumuola, Eleme Junction and Rumuokoro axis harassing and extorting property owners, land developers, motorists and other unsuspecting members of the public.
For the avoidance of doubts, the Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi had since dissolved all Committees and Taskforces of the Ministry and he is yet to reconstitute them.
We therefore urge the general public to raise alarm and report to the nearest security agency if anyone or group of persons come to them as Taskforce or officials of the Ministry demanding to see their building plan approval or for payment over purported non-compliance with the State’s Physical Planning Development Law.
Property owners and developers are hereby urged not to accept Demand Notice or engage in transactions with individuals or groups claiming to represent the Ministry, as doing so will be at their own risk.
The law enforcement agencies have been duly notified to go after the touts and miscreants harassing and extorting the public using the name of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development with a view to bringing them to book.
Signed:
Surveyor Wisdom Hebron,
Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development,
For the Honourable Commissioner,
22nd October, 2024.
[20:08, 10/22/2024] +234 813 530 3160: This is hilarious 😂 thanks
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