The Mayor of Awka South Local Government in Anambra State, Prince Chinedu Okafor, has declared war on illegal tax collectors at markets in the area, especially, eke-Awka.
The chairman, who stormed eke-Awka market to create awareness on the decision of the council, assured the traders of adequate security at the market, saying the era of extortion from the traders in the name of tax was over.
He alerted traders to certain individuals who were fraudulently posing as government agents and unlawfully collecting taxes.
He said Anambra State Government and Awka South Local Government had prohibited such illegal tax collection, labelling it as a fraudulent act that exploited honest traders.
Okafor, specifically, mentioned one individual (name withheld), who has been implicated in the illegal tax scheme and is now wanted by the authorities.
“This means security forces have been instructed to apprehend him whenever he is spotted, as his actions breach government regulations and disrupt public order at the market,” he said.
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The mayor urged traders not to engage with or pay anything to any unauthorised tax collector.
He encouraged them to report any such incident to local government security personnel, using the dedicated phone number.
“This initiative aims to ensure a swift response, bolster security and protect traders from harassment, extortion and financial loss,” the chairman said.
Okafor reinforced government’s commitment to transparency, lawful revenue collection and safety of everyone at the market.