Aba market women protest excess taxes, levies

Traders made up of women from various markets in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State especially from Popular Ngwa road market in Aba South Local Government have taken to the streets in protest multiple taxes and levies by the State Local Vigilante popularly known as Bakassi Boys.

The Bakassi boys are mainly used in Aba by the state government to protect markets within the commercial town and its environs.

The women numbering over 500 marched peacefully from Ngwa Road to Ahia Ohuru (New Market) and major roads including Asa and Aba-Owerri roads respectively as a way of registering their dissatisfaction and drawing the attention of the government to their plight.

The women bearing placards with different inscriptions also sang songs depicting that they were tired being forced to pay monies that they don’t know they were being used for.

According to one of the protesters who craved anonymity, she said, the rate they’re being harassed by the men of Bakassi (Security men) prompted them to embark on the protest.

“We are being embarrassed, harassed everyday with different kinds of tax and levies, they, at times beat us up and lock up our shops if we did not oblige. This is becoming too much, thus led us to embark on this protest, said the woman.

Another protester who spoke out of anger said she is a victim of the security men, according to her; “They came to my shop this morning and started locking up my shop over a levy we rejected to pay”.

“It’s becoming too much and we can’t continue to pay this, state government should do something about it, else the protest will continue”, the woman concluded.

It could be recalled that the issue of excess taxation and Levies has been brought to the notice of the Aba high court, the case according to reports is yet to be resolved.

While, Governor Ikpeazu led government has directed the right agents to be collecting taxes, but traders are showing dissatisfaction with high rate of tax they pay each day.