Operatives of the Ebonyi State Internal Revenue Board (IRB) and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) have arrested five suspected illegal revenue collectors from the international market in the state.

The arrest took place during a search of the market. The suspects were arrested at different places in the market to collect the illegal tax from the traders.

The recovered items include receipt books and cash already collected from poor women and children selling water sachets, vegetables and other small items.

Immediately after the arrest, vendors at the market began singing the praises of Governor Francis Nwifuru.

Some women told DAILY POST that illegal collectors were a thorn in their flesh as they collect between N50 and N100 daily or carry their goods while waiting to pay.

The Revenue Board team leader, Emmanuel Elechi, who is also in charge of ICT in the board, said the arrest of the suspects was based on the incessant violation of Governor Nwifuru’s directive to exempt small traders and vegetable sellers from payment of income.

“We are determined to flush out illegal collectors who seek to tarnish the image of the board of directors. We must strictly adhere to the Governor’s directive to allow small traders and vegetable sellers to conduct their business without paying taxes.

“Our governor, in his wisdom, knows what the poor are going through and has decided to reduce the hardship, but some people sabotage this gesture in order to enrich themselves. We cannot tolerate this, we will continue to arrest and prosecute them to deter others.”

The council also flagged off automation of e-ticketing for commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators to beat crime and plug revenue leakages in the state.

The exercise was announced by the Chairman of the State Revenue Board, Chief Christopher Omo-Isu.

He stressed that profiling commercial motorcycles and tricycles in the state would reduce crime and end double taxation, saying with profiling and automation of revenue generation, any operator who uses the vehicles to commit a crime would be found, arrested and prosecuted.

Omo-Isu said the innovation would reduce traffic in markets, streets and major roads in the state as operators would have to go to registration points to register within two weeks, after what the application will start.

He urged the people of the state to embrace the new system which would bring sanity and security in revenue generation and reduce fights between touts and riders/operators.