Covid 19: Umuahia North Taskforce accused of extortion, Council boss vows to prosecute anyone caught
Following alleged reports of extortion, harassment, and high handedness demonstrated by the Umuahia North Covid 19 Taskforce committee, the Council chairman for Umuahia North LGA, Hon Lucky Akabuike, has cautioned leaders of the Taskforce team to be civil in the dispatch of their duties as anyone caught in extortion will be prosecuted before the Mobile court.
Comr Akabuike who made this known during an emergency meeting called to address the leaders of the various Taskforce team across the Local Government Area, following allegations that the taskforce now take advantage of the Covid 19 lockdown to harass and extort money from people, said the meeting was to make public the true position of things and bring to a stop any form of indiscipline among the team.
The council boss stated that it is totally wrong for the taskforce committee to see the job given to them as an avenue to make money.
According to him, the major reason they were instituted was basically to enforce lockdown/ curfew directives, as well as ensure people comply to the outlined guidelines to stem the spread of the coronavirus in the state, adding that it would be absurd when people make reports that the taskforce are harrassing and extorting money from the people they were meant to protect.
The council boss issued out warning that if any member is caught in such act of wickedness, such a person would be disciplined and thereafter, face the Mobile court.
The former Abia NLC chairman, further cautioned the team to wear a human face when carrying out their duty, adding that it is completely outrageous to demand on the spot the sum of #30,000 – #50,000 from a defaulter of the lockdown order.
Akabuike advised the team to display a high level of discipline and eschew any form of behavior that is capable of soiling the image of the council, stressing that the Covid 19 era will soon pass away, therefore the team should not use the period to gather enemies for themselves or inflict more pains to the already existing one caused by the pandemic.
The Umuahia North boss further begged the taskforce to see the assignment given to them as a call to serve the people of Abia state and not to generate revenue for themselves, maintaining that they should carry out their duties with all sense of integrity and shun touting, wickedness and extortion.
