BY NWABUEZE  OKONKWO

ONITSHA— Tricycle riders in Anambra State, under the aegis of Keke Drivers Association Anambra State, KDAAS, yesterday protested what they termed collaborative extortion and multiple taxation from the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, department of the state government and some self-acclaimed revenue agents in the state.

During the demonstration which took place simultaneously in various parts of the state but co-ordinated from Onitsha, the tricycle riders carried placards with inscriptions to buttress their points.

Some of the inscriptions read: ‘God‑fathers are killing us”, “Rescue us from Agulu god‑fathers”, “Thugs are criminals, stop them now”, “Gov. Obiano, don’t give Keke job orders to two Agulu war lords”, “Please help, the two Onwas from Agulu are killing and milking us”, among others.

Addressing the members shortly after the demonstration, chairman, secretary and public relations oficer, of the association, Agugua Simon Uchenna, John‑Michael Ezukwu and Ogbonna Chidiebere respectively, said they were demonstrating against some group of persons extorting them by way of forcing them to buy assorted type of tickets.

They alleged that the IGR department of the state government had conspired with some revenue agents simply identified as Obyhans, Uche Okeke & Co. and the Police by using different types of printed tickets to forcefully extort as much as N700 and N1,000 per tricyclist per day in all parts of the state, mostly in Onitsha

They, therefore, appealed to the appropriate government authorities to come to their rescue for the interest of peace and harmony, as the menace of the revenue agents has become unbearable.