The Anambra State Internal Revenue Service has arrested four individuals accused of illegally collecting revenue from commercial tricycle operators in parts of Onitsha.
The suspects—identified as Ikenna Udoji, Kosi Iwobi, Chidera Ogbogu, and a man known simply as Monday—were apprehended during an enforcement operation near the Army Gate area of the commercial city, where they were allegedly extorting between ₦1,000 and ₦2,000 from keke riders.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, the Commander of the AIRS Special Squad, Nathan Obikwelu, said the arrests followed intelligence reports and surveillance that exposed the activities of illegal revenue collectors operating across the Ogbaru axis and the Head Bridge area.
“These individuals were arrested during a coordinated operation after investigations showed they were unlawfully collecting money from transport operators and members of the public under the pretense of government levies,” Obikwelu said.
He explained that the suspects have been charged to court for violating Anambra State laws that prohibit unauthorized revenue collection from tricycle riders and commercial bus operators.
According to him, the enforcement drive aligns with Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s directive to put an end to all forms of illegal cash collection in the state.
“The governor has made it clear that there must be no more illegal revenue collection in Anambra State. This arrest is part of our commitment to enforcing that directive and protecting residents from extortion,” Obikwelu added.
The latest arrest comes days after the state government, through the Special Anti-Touting Squad, apprehended six other suspected illegal revenue collectors operating around the River Niger Bridge and communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area.
The Managing Director of the Special Anti-Touting Squad, Monday Nwokoye, had earlier said that the operation was triggered by tip-offs from residents and transport operators who complained of being forcefully stopped and compelled to pay illegal levies.
Anambra State authorities have reiterated their resolve to sustain enforcement operations across the state to curb touting and unauthorized revenue collection.
