Fake revenue collector arrested in Edo

The Edo State Government has arrested one Joseph Ideho over illegal collection of revenue from motorists plying Ring Road-Ikpoba Hill axis of Benin, the state capital.

Speaking to journalists at the weekend, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security and Surveillance, Emmanuel Orukpe, said the suspect was apprehended after commercial drivers reported the case to officials of the state government.

He said the commercial drivers accused Ideho of forcefully collecting N500 as revenue from each commercial vehicle operator on departing the Ring Road for Ikpoba-Hill, without issuing receipt.

According to him, on the day Ideho was arrested, the sum of N8,500 was found on him, which he had allegedly collected from motorists.

“After the arrest of Ideho, we contacted the Oredo council chairman to identify the culprit and ascertain if he was one of the officials of the council authorised to collect revenue. Ideho was only discovered to be an imposter after Mr. Edebor Sunday, a revenue collection officer with the council, failed to recognise him as being part of their team,” he said.

He warned other individuals or groups that engaged in illegal revenue collection to desist from such acts, as they run contrary to the government’s directive against revenue collection by unauthorized persons and groups.

Orukpe called on commercial vehicle drivers to report suspected persons and groups that went about illegally collecting revenue to the appropriate authorities for action.

While saying that a surveillance team has intensified its operations in monitoring activities of such unscrupulous individuals and groups, he assured that whoever was caught would be prosecuted.