Standup9ja: IGP orders dismantling of illegal road blocks
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has
ordered the immediate dismantling of road blocks mounted by revenue agents,
transport unions and other illegal task force across the country.
The IGP has deployed Special X-Squad on highways and roads
in the country to clear illegal road blocks and obstructions, a statement
yesterday by Police spokesman, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Jimoh
Moshood said.
He said, “The IGP has deployed Special X-Squad Teams of the
Force across the country to commence with effect from Monday, 17th April, 2017
the removal of all forms of illegal blockage of highways and roads.”
He also said the police would remove other obstructions on
public highways and roads created by unlawful revenue/tax collectors, road
transport unions, labour and trade related unions inhibiting vehicular
movements in the country.
He added that the Special X-Squad Teams deployed are under
strict instructions to arrest,
investigate and prosecute any person or group of persons found committing this
act.
He said it was unlawful for any individual, or group under
any name to take laws into their hands and block any road or highway, in full
or any part of it under the guise of collection of revenue/tax or enforcement
of the interests of such organisations.
He explained that, “For avoidance of doubt, the taxes and
levies act, Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 section 2 (2) disallowed any
person, including a tax authority from mounting a road block in any part of the
Federation for the purposes of collecting any tax or levy.”
He said, “the Nigeria Police Force hereby advised the
relevant State Governments, Local Government Councils, Boards of Internal
Revenue service across the country, various transport unions, labour and
traders associations that it is against the law for any organization to create
a blockage and restrict or restrain members of the public the free usage of
roads and highways anywhere in the country.”
He said, “It is evident from the numerous complaints
received at Police Stations across the country that these illegal blockage
points, were most times taken over and used by Armed Robbers and Kidnappers to
rob, kidnap and maim innocent travellers and other road users.”
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