The Imo State Government has apprehended a notorious fake revenue collector identified as Mr. Moses, an indigene of Ebonyi State, for impersonating multiple government agencies and carrying out illegal revenue collection operations across the state.
Mr. Moses was arrested by the Compliance and Monitoring Team of the state government, under the directive and leadership of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Compliance, Nze Chinasa Nwaneri. He was caught red-handed while fraudulently enforcing revenue collection and issuing fake tickets within the Owerri metropolitan area.
According to reports, Mr. Moses had been operating around IMSU junction, Orji flyover, Amakohia flyover, and the Akwakuma axis, etc. He had created a network of criminal activities, falsely presenting himself as an agent of various government bodies such as the Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA), Imo State Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO), and the Imo State Waste Management Agency, among others.
He was also reported to be behind the illegal painting of commercial buses, known locally as busimo, using unauthorized colours and symbols in a bid to extort money from unsuspecting drivers and traders.
“This arrest is part of Governor Hope Uzodimma’s zero tolerance for fraud and criminality in the state,” said Nze Chinasa Nwaneri.
“We are determined to sanitize the system and ensure that only authorized agents carry out government responsibilities.”
Mr. Moses has since been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and prosecution.
The state government has advised residents and business owners to always verify the identity of individuals claiming to represent any government agency and report suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities.