Dozens of illegal revenue collectors were busted on Monday during a coordinated sting by operatives of the Imo State Government’s Monitoring and Compliance Unit and the Imo State Internal Revenue Service (IIRS), sending a clear warning to fraudsters targeting residents and businesses in the state capital.
The operation, described by officials as intelligence-driven and swift, took place at high-traffic zones including the Aba-Owerri Road, the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport junction, and the border axis between Aba and Imo State. The suspects were allegedly caught red-handed, issuing forged receipts and accepting illegal cash payments under the guise of official revenue collection.
Shockingly, some of the arrested individuals were found using a cloned version of the IIRS mobile app to defraud unsuspecting citizens. These fake agents, officials said, had been repeatedly warned but continued their operations, capitalizing on public ignorance and fear to extort money from traders, drivers, and small business owners.
Chinasa Nwaneri, Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Compliance, led the bust and stated that the arrests form part of a broader effort to sanitize Imo’s financial system. “These individuals were extorting citizens using fake documents and technology. This sabotage undermines our reforms and robs the state of critical revenue,” Nwaneri noted.
Following the arrests, the suspects were handed over to police authorities for investigation and prosecution. The Imo State Government reiterated its commitment to eradicating unauthorized revenue agents and emphasized that no individual or group is permitted to collect revenue manually on behalf of the government.
The state’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy remains in full force, mandating that all official payments must be made electronically and directly into verified government accounts. This policy aims to ensure transparency, block revenue leakages, and strengthen public trust in government institutions.
Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious revenue collection activities via official government hotlines. As Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration intensifies its fiscal reform agenda, the crackdown marks a bold step toward building a safer, more accountable, and economically resilient Imo State.
