His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
We write to draw your attention to the fact that the cost of living in Bayelsa state is high compared to other states and this is due to the activities of some people parading as the brothers of Senator Douye Diri who have allegedly turned themselves to revenue collectors and are imposing exorbitant charges (road tax and levies) on trucks hauling goods to the state capital, Yenogoa, and local government areas of Bayelsa state.
Whoever tries to oppose them is silenced by some powerful politicians seemingly benefiting from them or some police officers in their payroll. On February 6, 2023, a protest letter was written to the Presidency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, and other government agencies for help but much was not done to salvage us or stop them from their alleged nefarious acts.
One of them was even boasting that the petition written against him had given him new friends in the EFCC and law enforcement agencies due to his affluence, which he also uses to recruit thugs and cultists to intimidate people.
Seventy percent of the roads in the state are federal roads and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, is seen working on these roads while the imposters forcefully impose stickers on the motorists and truck drivers, they also collect road tax/ haulage fees from drivers.
The Joint Tax Board (JTB) recruited and trained some persons to officially collect road tax for the federal and state governments but the self-acclaimed revenue merchants stopped them from doing the work.
The JTB wrote to the state governor requesting for him to stop these characters from their nefarious acts and leave the toll gate of the state for the JTB authorised and trained personnel.
This too fell on deaf ears as one of them allegedly told the trained personnel that nothing will happen and no one can stop him but if they love their lives they should leave the toll gate or he will do something that will make them regret coming to the toll gate to obstruct his work.
He was allegedly with a police officer in plain clothes and some of his thugs so the trained personnel decided to stop work to avoid bloodshed/loss of life. I will be grateful expecting your swift response in salvaging Bayelsa state from the hands of the revenue lords.
Yours sincerely,
Tuboye Dede Omiela,
Block 2, Flat 1, Ekeki Housing Estate, Yenogoa, Bayelsa state
cc: Chairman, Tax Reform Committee, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC
