CDHR begs Delta gov over illegal levies on Okada riders

By Festus Ahon

UGHELLI—The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has called on Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, to urgently intervene on the issue of illegal levies on Okada riders in the state by ordering the total cancellation of such levies before same snowballs into a major crises.

This was contained in a statement issued at Ughelli yesterday by the State Chairman and   Secretary of CDHR, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, and Benefit Orugbo, respectively.

It read: “We, members of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, (CDHR), Delta State Chapter, are in receipt of various unpleasant reports, on a daily basis, from commercial motor cyclists operating in Warri, Effurun, Udu and environs, about harassments by solders, mobile policemen and miscreants recruited by Delta State Commercial Motor Cyclist Caretaker Committee to enforce the daily sales of welfare tickets to commercial motor cyclists in the state.

“While we support the payment of taxes by citizens as a civic responsibility, we take serious exception to illegal collections/levies and the harassment of commercial motor cyclists in the state, as there is no statutory law backing the said daily collections/levies.”