The Anambra State Government, through its Board of Internal Revenue (AIRS), has arrested and secured the conviction of six persons for engaging in illegal revenue collection across parts of the state.
Operatives of the AIRS carried out the arrests in collaboration with the State Anti-Touting Agency during coordinated operations conducted at several locations in Awka and its environs.
The crackdown followed sustained complaints from motorists, traders, and transport operators over persistent extortion by unauthorised individuals who allegedly exploited public spaces to impose unlawful levies.
According to AIRS, the activities not only disrupted economic activities but also threatened public order, prompting the government to act decisively to sanitize the state’s revenue system.
Confirming the development, the Chairman of AIRS, Greg Ezeilo, disclosed that the arrests were made during targeted raids on identified black spots notorious for illegal levy collection.
He noted that the exercise was part of a broader enforcement drive aimed at curbing touting, drug-related offences, and other criminal activities linked to fake revenue operations.
Ezeilo explained that operatives apprehended some suspects at the UNIZIK Junction, where they were allegedly extorting motorists in violation of existing revenue laws, while others were arrested at Regina Junction in Awka for reportedly collecting levies from tricycle operators under false claims of government authorization.
According to the revenue chairman, one of the suspects was also found in possession of suspected Indian hemp, underscoring concerns about the link between illegal revenue collection and other criminal activities in the state.
Following their arrest, the suspects were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and were subsequently arraigned before a competent court. They were convicted and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for their respective offences.
Reaffirming the state government’s position, Ezeilo said the administration would not tolerate any activity capable of undermining lawful revenue collection or public safety. He urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, stressing that community cooperation was vital to the success of the ongoing enforcement efforts.
He added that more operations were planned in the coming weeks as part of the government’s determination to restore public confidence in revenue administration and maintain order across the state, assuring that offenders would continue to face the full weight of the law.
