The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has ordered the arrest of illegal tax and revenue collectors as well as labour and trade union members impeding vehicular movement on roads and highways across the country.
To this end, he had deployed the police Special X-Squad team across the country to remove all forms of blockade and obstructions on the roads with effect from Monday (today).
The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, in a statement on Sunday, said the special team was under strict instruction to arrest, investigate and prosecute any person or group of persons found involved in the illegal act.
He stated, “It is unlawful and contrary to the laws for any individual or group under any name to take the laws into their hands and block any road or highway in full or any part of it under the guise of collection of revenue/tax or enforcement of the interests of such organisations.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Taxes and Levies Act, Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004, Section 2 (2) disallows any person, including a Tax Authority from mounting a road block in any part of the federation for the purposes of collecting any tax or levy.”
Moshood told state and local governments, Boards of Internal Revenue Service, transport unions, labour and traders associations that it was against the law for any organisation to restrict or restrain members of the public from the free usage of roads and highways anywhere in the country.
He added, “It is evident from the numerous complaints received at police stations across the country that these illegal blockage points were most times taken over and used by armed robbers and kidnappers to maim innocent travellers and other road users.”
The police spokesman implored the concerned stakeholders to prevail on their proxies, agents and representatives to desist from blocking the highways and roads.
“The full weight of the law will be applied on anyone arrested in the act, and they will be prosecuted along with their sponsors,” the statement stated.
He urged parents and guardians to monitor their children and wards and prevent them from being used to commit illegal acts under the guise of employment.
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