Group Hails Ebonyi Governor Over Crackdown On Fake Revenue Agents

An anti-corruption crusader in Nigeria, Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre, WAMAC, has commended the Ebonyi State Government for its enforcement of the ban on toll and levy collections from petty traders in markets across the state.

A statement by WAMAC Executive Director, Mr. Abdurrauf Idris, particularly expresses happiness with the recent arrest of five fraudulent revenue agents and urges their immediate prosecution to serve as a strong deterrent to others engaged in such illegal activities.

The statement said that the ban, initially announced by Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru, on 30th of January this year, was aimed at alleviating the financial burden on petty traders by eliminating unauthorized revenue collections.

WAMAC, supported by the MacArthur Foundation, co-produces investigative programme, “Nnyopu” and “Eagle Eye,” which are broadcast in Igbo and Pidgin on Radio Nigeria Unity FM, Abakaliki.

The statement recalls that in February 2024, these investigative programmes uncovered violations of the governor’s directive, exposing how unscrupulous agents continued to extort petty traders despite the ban.

Following the programmes and accompanying news report, the Ebonyi State Board of Internal Revenue took swift action in March, launching a crackdown on fake revenue agents in major markets, especially Kpirikpiri and the International Market, Abakaliki, a situation that brought much-needed relief to traders, as several illegal agents fled the markets.

While applauding the Ebonyi State Government for the recent arrest of the fake revenue agents, the group urges the state government to establish a dedicated taskforce that will patrol markets daily to prevent illegal toll collections.

WAMAC believes this proactive measure, rather than periodic raids, will provide more consistent protection for traders and ensure that offenders are held accountable.