By Jeff Agbodo

ABAKALIKI — Four persons were injured when suspected hoodlums attacked security operatives enforcing the Ebonyi State Internally Generated Revenue Service’s (EBSIRS) e-ticketing operations at Amudo Market in Ezza South Local Government Area.

Three revenue officers and one official of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) sustained severe injuries during the attack.

Eyewitnesses reported that the hoodlums, armed with cutlasses and guns, stormed the area, barricaded roads with logs, overpowered the enforcement team, and freed arrested motorists.

“The hoodlums numbered over 200 and immediately discharged all the arrested motorists. It was a terrifying scene; many people fled the market in fear,” an eyewitness said.

A surviving team member, Samuel, described the incident as a deliberate act of sabotage against efforts to curb illegal ticket sales.

An official of the Ebonyi State Internal Revenue Service, who requested anonymity, explained that the e-ticketing system, approved on October 8, 2024, aims to reduce revenue leakages.

“They print tickets and sell them illegally, short-changing the state government,” the official said. “We call on the government to arrest and prosecute all those involved in this act of sabotage.”

The enforcement team appealed for greater government protection, noting that sensitisation campaigns had been carried out via radio and newspapers to educate commercial drivers on the benefits of paying their levies directly to the government rather than to touts.

Ebonyi remains the only South-East state yet to fully automate its revenue collection system, prompting Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru to initiate the transition of the transport sector to e-ticketing.

The Chairman of Ezza South Council, Mrs. Euphemia Nwali, condemned the attack and vowed to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Chief Christopher Omo-Isu, Chairman of the Ebonyi State Board of Internal Revenue, also expressed outrage.

“This appalling act of violence threatens the safety of our dedicated workers and undermines the progress we have made,” he said, assuring that the board would collaborate with security agencies to enhance staff safety and pursue justice.

Since the launch of the e-ticketing initiative on November 4, 2024, sensitisation efforts have encouraged compliance. However, the enforcement team continues to face resistance, with three mobile phones reportedly stolen during the Amudo attack.

In a separate incident, an e-ticketing staff member was beaten at Tom Gadas filling station in Afikpo, sustaining injuries to the head, hand, and eyes. The assailant was arrested but later released after intervention by stakeholders who promised to ensure compliance among okada and keke riders.