Soludo's Brigade Arrests Tricyclists Over Tax Evasion

Operation Clean And Healthy Anambra State, a brigade (OCHA) set up by Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo have arrested about 24 tricycle operators over tax evasion and other offences.

The Agency's Head of Operations Officer Chukwuemeka Oye disclosed this while speaking with the press in Awka.

He said they were arrested for alleged non-compliance with government's directive on tax payment as well as engaging in activities that disrupt public peace.

He revealed that nine people were initially arrested at Eke Nibo on Wednesday November 16 and remanded in the correctional facility.

He said the remaining fifteen were arrested when they went to the correctional facility at Amawbia, forcefully demanding the release of their members in custody by blocking access roads.

He further explained that the group in the company of about other two hundred Keke drivers tried to attack OCHA Brigade officials but with the assistance of sister security agencies the attack was repelled.

He noted that it was in the course of repelling the attack that they arrested additional fifteen of the Keke riders who alongside  other nine will be arraingned in court on Monday November 21 for prosecution.

In an interview, one of arrested Keke riders, Uzochukwu Oguchi from Oba, Idemili South council area, said they came to find out what their colleagues did to be remanded in prison and they were referred to the official headquarters of  OCHA Brigade, where they  were arrested and kept in custody since yesterday.

The Anambra State Government has had a series of meetings with Keke riders  in the state where they agreed to comply with the directive on tax payment but ABS gathered that only forty-five percent have complied to the directive as at the time of filing this report.