Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi state has condemned the attack on revenue officers in Ebonyi state.
A group of thugs numbering over 200 had attacked a team of security operatives enforcing e-ticketing operations of the Ebonyi State Internally Generated Revenue Service and severely injured three persons and one Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).
The attack which took place in Amudo market in Ezza South Local Government Area of the state on Thursday was said to have being led by the Youth President of Ezza South allegedly sponsored by one Simon Nwifuru, also known as Dangote who is a brother to the Governor.
It was gathered that the coordinated attack was plotted by the said brother to Governor Nwifuru who claims to be in charge of keke riders, one Douglas Ochishi who is parading as a ‘contractor’ to okada riders in conjunction with the state chairman of okada and keke riders and the riders from Abaomege who mobilised in their numbers and laid ambush against the officers of the State’s Civil Defence Security team on enforcement and the e-ticketing team of the IRS CONSULT while on their way from Afikpo and Edda local government areas of the state going back to Abakaliki.
It was gathered that the attackers allegedly armed with cutlasses and guns barricaded the road with logs of woods rounded up the major road and overpowered the e-ticketing enforcement team alongside the enforcement team of the men of civil defence.
An eyewitness, Nweke Timothy recounted that “They (the thugs) were numbering over two hundred persons, and they immediately discharged all the arrested motorists. It was a terrible scene, and many people fled the market out of fear, and the tension was very high, “he stated.
One of the team members who survived the attack, who identified himself as Samuel described the incident as dastardly, maintaining that it was a huge sabotage on the efforts of the Ebonyi State government to shore up it’s revenue and stop those said to be selling illegal tickets and enriching theirselves thereby causing leakages. “They print tickets and sell them at will, short-changing the state government.