Traders of Ariaria Market Aba, Abia State, under the aegis of Ariaria Markets Traders Association, AMATA, have protested what they called the re-emergence of illegal revenue collectors.
The traders, who besieged the premises of a local radio station based in Umungasi area of Aba on Thursday to register their protest, alleged that despite the approved levy of N18,000, which they have accepted to pay, a certain individual, named Benedict, but famously goes by the name Star, has suddenly re-emerged to impose a daily levy of five hundred naira on them.
One of the protesting traders, Chinenye Anumudu, who recounted their ordeal, stated that early last year, “during the previous government, this individual, with the use of force, aided by his gang members, collected all approved revenues, including the stipulated annual fee of N18,000 from each of the traders, purportedly on behalf of the state government, without issuing receipts of payment to any of us.”
According to him, they (the traders) were surprised to see him again this January announcing that he has been designated by the state government to collect a daily levy of five hundred naira from each trader in the market.
“The market resumed for this year’s business just about two weeks ago and we were surprised to see this man called Star announcing that the new state government has assigned him the duty of collecting daily revenue of five hundred naira from us.
“The fact is that Governor Alex Otti did not tell us about any daily toll apart from the annual fee of 18,000 naira which we have agreed to pay through the bank.
“So, we are calling on the state government to talk to us concerning this; failure to do that could be a recipe for a protracted crisis in the market.
“Already, we are happy with what the governor is doing and it is our duty to support him by paying our taxes,” he said.
Another trader, who simply introduced herself as Ada Zion, decried the inhuman treatment and brutal approach being meted out to them by the so-called revenue collectors.
According to her, she occupies a small space near her brother’s shop to sell some petty goods, but on a daily basis, Star and his gang had denied her a peaceful ambience of business.
“Every morning, Star and his gang would come to demand I pay them five hundred naira and when I refuse, they attack me by destroying my wares.
“It is the same situation with other petty traders in the T Line Zone of the market.
“In some cases, they confiscate our goods, and for those of us who sell perishable products, the goods perish before the owners go to collect them.
“Even if the government approves that we pay a daily toll, there is no way petty traders like us would be able to pay five hundred naira because most of us don’t make up to that amount as profits on a daily basis.”
Meanwhile, one of the traders who simply introduced himself as Aboy, alleged that their shops were burgled and goods worth millions of naira carted away by thugs believed to be working for the revenue agents.
Explaining his personal experience, he said following the announcement of the daily levy of five hundred naira last week, he challenged Star and his boys telling them that the levy was an illegal one and that he was not going to pay it.
According to him, he came to the market on Monday only to discover that his shop had been burgled.
“I came to the market on Monday only to discover that my shop has been burgled.
“They took away my table and carted away my goods which include three bags of crayfish.
“So I went to the Chief Security officer of the market to ask him if he was aware of the robbery attack, but he answered in the negative.
“But he asked me to report to the chairperson of my zone, which I have already done, but up till now, I am yet to get any positive outcome.”
The traders called on Governor Alex Otti to wade into the activities of the alleged illegal revenue collectors which they said could distract his journey to redeem Abia.