Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
A bloody clash occured yesterday in Benin City, capital of Edo State betweem officials of Oredo local government council and men of the State Professional Drivers on Wheel over revenue collection.
Governor Godwin Obaseki had during his new year message, invalidated all forms of arrangements on collection of taxes, levies entered into by the state or local government councils with agencies, saying only employees of the state government or local governments were authorised to collect taxes and levies.
However, in what appeared to be fragrant disobedience of the state government directive, men of the State Professional Drivers on Wheel came out to collect revenue which resulted to the bloody clash.
Trouble it was gathered, started when the men of the Professional Drivers On Wheel resisted and stopped the local government officials, accompanied by security agents in an attempt to give effect to the state government directive on revenue collection precisely in Ekpenede and Ebo streets
Speaking, Head of Service (HOS), Oredo Local Government, Osagiator Ojo, told journalists that officials of the council were injured, assaulted and molested by the group, adding that the uproar degenerated when the thugs invaded the council secretariat with one of them arrested by the police
He said the state government directives banning illegal revenue collection will boost the council revenue base, noting that the council is at the verge of putting in place a mobile court to sanction violators of government directives.
In a swift reaction however, State Chairman, Professional Drivers On Wheel, Adams Rotimi ( aka Shabba), said the state government was yet to give further directive as to who will collect revenue having banned all forms of levies and taxes collection by private agencies.
He threatened that the union will resist the council officials with their last blood, adding” tomorrow let them come out, we will fight them with our last blood.”
