The Imo State Government has issued a stern warning to unauthorized individuals and criminal syndicates extorting money from transporters using Toyota Sienna vehicles across the state, describing the practice as illegal, unpatriotic, and a direct affront to the rule of law.
In a public notice signed by Nze Chinasa Nwaneri, Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Compliance, the government condemned the ongoing extortion activities targeting Sienna drivers, particularly those plying the Umuowa and Aba-Owerri expressway.
According to the statement, these illegal agents have been collecting as much as N48,500 for 2005 model Siennas and a staggering N80,000 for 2008 models from unsuspecting drivers—claims the government has categorically denied any knowledge of or association with.
“This government did not authorize the collection of any such levies and does not operate through Point of Sale (POS) agents,” the notice read. “All official payments are strictly done through the Imo State Treasury Single Account (TSA). Any collection outside this channel is not only fraudulent but criminal.”
The government has called on all transporters and motorists in the state and those merely transiting to resist these extortion attempts and to report such incidents immediately to the nearest police station or the Ministry of Transport. Offenders caught engaging in this heinous act will face full prosecution under the law.
The public, particularly commercial drivers, have been urged to stay vigilant and not to fall prey to impostors parading themselves as government agents. The statement further called on law enforcement agencies to swing into action and bring perpetrators of this racket to justice without delay.
“This is not just theft—it is economic sabotage and an attack on the integrity of our state,” Nwaneri warned. “We will not tolerate this criminal enterprise hiding under the guise of government activity.”
The Imo State Government reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the rights of road users, maintaining a lawful transport system, and dismantling any network of extortion and illegal taxation within its borders.
The public is hereby advised to take this warning seriously. The era of unchecked criminal levies is over, Nze Nwaneri warns.
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