Tax agents suspected to be working under the umbrella of Vehicle
Inspection Officers, (VIO) had caused the death of an elder
statesman Chief Geoffery Mgbada in Abakiliki, the Ebonyi state
capital.
The incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday along
Presco-Ezza road, Abakaliki.
In a quick reaction, the state government has distanced itself
from the illegal activities of the VIO and other revenue task
forces operating in the state.
The position of the state government was made known in a
statement issued by the state governor Chief, Engr. David Umahi and
was made available to journalists through his Press Secretary, Mr.
Emmanuel Uzor.
The statement read in part ” The Governor is saddened by this
careless death and wishes to dissociate the state government from
the illegal activities of the VIO and other task force agents in
the state and directs for immediate arrest and prosecution of such
illegal tax or revenue agents”.
Governor Umahi further called for thorough investigation into
the circumstances surrounding his death.
Late Chief Mgbada was secretary to Ebonyi state elders council
and member of Abakiliki Capital Territory Development Board.
The statement also explained that the early order issued by the
state governor in 2018 which pro-scripted tax agents operating in
the state still stands.
“Let it be known that the Governor in a town-hall meeting with
indigenes proscribed all task-force agents working under any guise
using the state government as cover and that order is still
invoke”, it explained.
The governor however commiserated with the family of the
deceased and vowed to ensure that justice is done.
He urged members of the public to resist illegal revenue agents
as the only body legally permitted to collect revenue on behalf of
the government is the newly inaugurated Board of Internal
Revenue.
Daily Trust gathered that the deceased was said to be driving
with his wife when he was intercepted by the VIO along the popular
Ezza Road in Abakiliki.
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