The Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has announced an immediate ban on all transport unions and a private firm, Atalakpa Recovery Concept Ltd, from collecting any form of revenue, levies, or dues across the state.
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In a statement issued Wednesday in Benin City, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Ikhilor, declared that the affected unions and the private company have lost all authority to act on behalf of the government in revenue-related matters.
The decision followed mounting reports of illegal collections and widespread extortion of motorists and traders by groups claiming to operate under official mandate.
According to Ikhilor, certain unions were previously permitted to assist the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) under tightly regulated conditions. However, many have violated those terms through unauthorized cash collections, intimidation, and abuse of power.
“As a result, the state government has immediately banned NURTW, RTEAN, ANNEWAT, and Drivers on Wheel from any revenue-related activity across Edo,” Ikhilor said.
“These groups, including Atalakpa Recovery Concept Ltd, are no longer permitted to collect dues from any individual, driver, or road user anywhere in the state.
“Credible reports indicate that Atalakpa Recovery Concept Ltd and its operatives have engaged in serious abuse of power, leading to widespread public extortion,” he added.
The government described the conduct of the banned groups as economic sabotage and a threat to law, order, and public confidence in governance.
“All union revenue operations are now suspended indefinitely pending further directives from the Edo Government and relevant regulatory bodies,” the SSG said.
He warned that any form of harassment or coercion under the guise of revenue enforcement would no longer be tolerated in Edo State.
The new directive explicitly prohibits any person or group affiliated with the banned unions from collecting cash or demanding levies from road users or traders in any part of the state.
Ikhilor urged the public to resist such demands and report illegal collections directly to the Edo Special Task Force, led by SP Michael Anetor. Reports can be made via the official contact number: 08038157126.
The statement added that the state government has formally alerted the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to enforce the directive. Law enforcement officers have been authorized to arrest and prosecute any individual or group violating the ban.
The development aligns with recent policy recommendations by public finance experts at Nextier, who called for the outright criminalisation of third-party and thug-led revenue collection in Nigeria.
In their May 2025 Policy Brief titled “Violent Revenue Collection by Subnational Governments in Nigeria,” researchers Chukwuma Okoli and Ndu Nwokolo urged federal and state governments to end the practice of using “agberos” and informal agents in internal revenue generation.
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