From Joseph Obukata, Warri
Some men posing as revenue task force have been arrested after Delta government officials dislodged illegal revenue points in Sapele, Oghara and Koko communities of the state.
The illegal task force men were rounded up by operatives of the Delta State Task Force on Road Taxes and Revenue Leakages, yesterday.
This is coming few days after some suspected thugs claiming to be National Union of Road Transport Workers’s task force reportedly attacked several mini-bus drivers at Ugbolokposo junction, Effurun, Ovwie council, over attempt to protest increments of daily ticket from N500 to N600.
The clamp down, according to an official, became necessary as a result of the activities of illegal revenue task forces which, he said, had become notorious, and giving the state a bad image.
Some of those arrested claimed that they had the consent of their community leaders in doing what they do on the road.
Coordinator of Task Force on Road Taxes and Revenue Leakages, Malachi Moye, decried the activities of illegal task force personnel, saying government would no longer tolerate their nefarious actions.
He warned those behind the illegal task forces to desist or be prepared to face the wrath of the law. Secretary to the State Government, Patrick Ukah, had, in a statement on June 29, 2022, warned of dire consequences for operators of illegal revenue task forces operating within the state.
While pointing out that revenue collection in the state was the responsibility of the state internal revenue service, Moye advised those desirous of becoming revenue agents to seek the approval of the revenue service before embarking on any form of revenue collection.
The task force coordinator said the operation would be extended to all parts of the state, stressing that those arrested would be charged to court within a few days.
