Soldiers dislodge illegal revenue collectors at Edo markets

Forum 4 days ago

Soldiers dislodge illegal revenue collectors at Edo markets

Some personnel of the Nigerian Army on Sunday dispersed some youths suspected of collecting illegal revenue from traders in Benin markets.

DAILY POST reports that the youths, who were more than 15 in number, reportedly stormed markets at Mission Road, Lagos Street and environs to illegally collect money from traders.

A mild drama, however, ensued at the Mission road market, when a soldier told the youths, who were moving from one shop to the another, to leave the vicinity.

The youths, who were shouting at the soldier, told the officer that they would not leave the area, and that he had no right to tell them to leave the market.

They, however, took to their heels when the officer reached for his gun and threatened to shoot them.

The traders, mostly women, who were excited at the development, said the youths, who are from the community, were making things difficult for them.

They said the idle youths always extort them every December, especially few days to the Christmas celebration and New Year.

The traders who spoke on condition of anonymity, said with the development, they always deploy security personnel in the markets in December.

They equally called on the Edo State Government to provide them with the enabling environment to carry out their businesses by securing the markets.

“We are tired of the activities of illegal revenue collectors who are always making things difficult for us especially during every December and New Year.

“Every year we get the security personnel by ourselves, especially the soldiers, to give us the necessary protection against community youths who are always coming to extort and collect money from us and if you fail to give them they will confiscate your goods.

“We appeal to the State Governor Monday Okpebholo to please come to our aid by providing security for us to do our business without being harassed, extorted and molested by these youths who are masquerading themselves as revenue collectors,” one of the traders said.