By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Over 40 vehicles have been impounded in Makurdi by a joint operation of the Benue State Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, and the Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIO, over non registration and renewal of vehicle papers as well as lack of valid Driver’s Licences.

The operation which lasted several hours was part of efforts by the two organisations to ensure full compliance to extant laws and also boost the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the state.

Media Assistant to the Acting Chairman of BIRS, Jacintha Bernard in a statement weekend in Makurdi stated that the special  operation was led on behalf of the acting Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Agema, by the Director, Other Revenue, Mrs. Lucia Anumeh.

The Chairman noted that the operation became necessary following the resolve of the Board “to improve the revenue profile of the state by ensuring that people fulfil their constitutional obligation to the state by paying their taxes and doing the needful when necessary.

“There is no gainsaying that the Chairman of BIRS is relentless and untiring in his commitment to ensuring that vehicles plying our roads are registered and motorists have valid license.

“The drive is also to purge Benue of criminals. Benue will never be a safe haven for criminals who steal vehicles. We will build a standard such that every motorist plying our roads will feel the need to register their vehicles.”

The Chief Vehicle Inspection Officer, Moses Ligom while lauding the level of compliance by motorists appealed to them to always carry out regular maintenance of their vehicles to avert avoidable accidents on Benue roads.

The Commissioner for Power, Transport and Renewable Energy, Mattew Omale, who joined the team to supervise the VIO, commended the officials and BIRS Staff for ensuring diligence in the discharge of the task.