Chaos in Bida Main Market Onitsha over Tax Levy
There was chaos between Bida Traders Association over what they tagged as "extortion" from their Chairman and his thugs, who constantly extort money from them in form of tax.
According to Mr Emeka Obi, who identify himself as one of the old traders at No. 2 Bida Road opposite Chibros Plaza. He said that they called them for a meeting with the Chairman, Mr Kamara, his Excos and the traders by 3:30pm today. They said that the government brought Tax and have mandated them to pay 7000.00 per head but they have negotiated with them at the rate of 5500. They demanded to know the tax they were paying but no explanation was given and it lead to chaos and exchange of banter.
Speaking further, Mr Obi enquired that their shops is not government owned and if there is anything like Tax, that a demand notice should be given and not per head as insinuated by their chairman. He further narrated the ugly incident they face continuously with the Chairman and his thugs who extort 200 from them on a daily basis.
They please the government and Main Market Chairman to come to their rescue for they cannot pay such amount of money in this hard time.
We called the Chairman to verify his own side of the story but to no avail and several calls to his phone was rejected by him on hearing we are journalist.
Remember it was in this Bida Road that Ikande and his men murdered a man in cold blood over illegal extortion of money.
According to Mr Emeka Obi, who identify himself as one of the old traders at No. 2 Bida Road opposite Chibros Plaza. He said that they called them for a meeting with the Chairman, Mr Kamara, his Excos and the traders by 3:30pm today. They said that the government brought Tax and have mandated them to pay 7000.00 per head but they have negotiated with them at the rate of 5500. They demanded to know the tax they were paying but no explanation was given and it lead to chaos and exchange of banter.
Speaking further, Mr Obi enquired that their shops is not government owned and if there is anything like Tax, that a demand notice should be given and not per head as insinuated by their chairman. He further narrated the ugly incident they face continuously with the Chairman and his thugs who extort 200 from them on a daily basis.
They please the government and Main Market Chairman to come to their rescue for they cannot pay such amount of money in this hard time.
We called the Chairman to verify his own side of the story but to no avail and several calls to his phone was rejected by him on hearing we are journalist.
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