A joint transport union in Rivers State has accused the Chairman of Etche Local Government, Boniface Chima Njoku, of allegedly recruiting an illegal task force to collect unauthorized fees from transport workers in the area.
The union, comprising the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the heavy-duty section of the Nigerian Association of Agricultural Product Dealers, and the Duty Haulage and Transport Association of Nigeria, raised the allegations during a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
Speaking at the press conference, Allion Olibu, Director of the Nigerian Association of Agricultural Product Dealers, claimed that individuals recruited by the Etche council chairman have been collecting fees of five thousand naira or more from each driver at the Imo River. Union members described the collection as “double taxation,” arguing that they are already paying legitimate taxes to the Rivers State Government.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the coordinator of the NURTW (heavy-duty section) in Rivers State, Kingsley Oforgbu, and the vice chairman of the Heavy-Duty Haulage and Transport Association of Nigeria, Humble James, appealed to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, former Governor Nyesom Wike, and the Inspector General of Police to intervene and halt what they described as “illegal and extortionist practices” by the Etche Local Government chairman.
When contacted, the head of the Etche task force operating at the Imo River, Akan Chawa, denied the allegations of extortion. He insisted that any levies collected are lawful, asserting that the task force is authorized to operate within Etche land and that the fees are legitimate charges.
The dispute highlights growing tension between local government authorities and transport unions in Rivers State, with union leaders calling for regulatory oversight to prevent abuse and ensure the protection of workers’ rights.
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