Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has ordered an immediate and indefinite suspension of daily market tolls imposed on petty traders in Enugu State, declaring the practice illegal as part of a broader crackdown on extortion and unauthorized revenue collection.
The directive was announced on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting on the harmonisation of market revenue, organised by the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service at the Old Government Lodge, Enugu.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the governor said the move aligns with the state’s new tax reforms aimed at easing the burden on low-income traders.
He warned that anyone caught collecting daily levies—typically between ₦100 and ₦200—from traders without lockup shops would face strict legal consequences.
“Anyone caught collecting the ₦100 or ₦200 daily toll revenue, either for the government or an individual, will face the full weight of the law,” the governor declared.
Mbah further disclosed that a taskforce headed by the SSG had been constituted to enforce compliance, urging local government chairmen, traditional rulers, market leaders, Presidents-General, civil society groups, and residents to report violations.
He clarified, however, that the directive does not affect traders operating in lockup shops, who are required to pay annual fees ranging from ₦30,000 to ₦36,000.
The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to protecting residents from exploitative practices, stressing that policies must not worsen economic hardship.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the Nigeria Police Force arraigned two suspects before an Enugu North Magistrate Court over alleged illegal revenue collection, forgery, and fraud linked to the registration of native doctors.
The defendants, identified as 65-year-old Christopher Ifeanyi and Chinenye Ugwu, were charged with conspiracy, stealing, and forging Enugu North Local Government receipts to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
According to the three-count charge marked MEN/153C/2026, the accused allegedly conspired on March 31, 2026, at the Enugu North Local Government Secretariat to commit felony offences.
“That you Christopher Ifeanyi ‘m’, Ugwu Chinenye ‘f’ and others now at large… did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: stealing, forgery,” the charge sheet read.
The police further alleged that the suspects stole ₦700,000 belonging to the Enugu State Government and forged official receipts for the registration of native doctors, presenting them as genuine.
“That you did forge Enugu North Local Government receipts… knowing same to be false,” the charge added.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Presiding Magistrate, O.S. Chukwuani, subsequently adjourned the case to May 8 for further hearing.
The prosecution was led by Rosemary Ojobo, while Onyinye Ugwu appeared as State Counsel representing the Department of Public Prosecution.
The twin actions by the state government and the police underscore a renewed push to sanitize revenue collection systems and curb exploitation across Enugu markets.
