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The governor of Edo
State, Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday, ordered that the chairman of the
state’s Committee on Illegal Structures and Street Trading, Felix
Igiebor, and four members of the committee be arrested for allegedly
extorting money from the public.

Mr. Igiebor allegedly arrested a bishop and demanded N10, 000 as bribe from him.

The governor said
his administration would not tolerate acts capable of bringing hardship
to the people and denting the image of the government.

“You people have
been doing a lot of damage to the image of government. You go about
arresting innocent people and extorting money from them, and today you
arrested a Bishop and demanded for bribe,” Mr. Oshiomhole told the
members.

Narrating his
experience at the hands of the alleged extortionists, Gabriel Dunia,
the bishop of the Auchi Catholic Diocese, said upon his arrival from
Europe, he noticed that members of the committee were about to tow his
vehicle for parking illegally along the Airport Road.

The Reverend Dunia said he immediately apologized but they demanded the bribe from his driver.

Reacting to the incident, Mr. Oshiomhole announced the immediate dissolution of the committee .

Confirmed extortion

A statement by
Pally Irase, the Secretary to the State Government, said the
dissolution is sequel “to confirmed cases of extortion under the guise
of wrong parking, harassment of innocent persons, physical assault and
dehumanizing methods which are unacceptable to government”.

The statement
advised the committee’s former members to return all government
properties in their possession to the Permanent Secretary, Central
Administration.

“Aggrieved members
of the public who have genuine complaints against members of the
dissolved task force are encouraged to lodge their complaints to the
permanent secretary Government House Benin City”, the statement said.