Ebonyi State House of Assembly has issued a two-week ultimatum to the Ebonyi State Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) Board to sanitize its operations and end the harassment of citizens in the guise of revenue collection across the state.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Leader of the House, Hon. Kingsley Ikoro, during plenary at the Assembly Complex.

The session was presided over by the Speaker, Chief Moses Ije-Odunwa.

Ikoro lamented the activities of unverified individuals and groups allegedly contracted by the IGR Board to enforce tax and traffic collections, describing their conduct as “lawless and dehumanizing.”

“You see people carrying planks, popularly called ‘2 by 2’, chasing motorcyclists and drivers in the name of IGR enforcement.

“Many have no form of identification or uniform. The protection of lives and property is the first duty of the government, and this abnormality must stop,” Ikoro stated.

He urged the House to invite the leadership of the IGR Board to explain the mode of engagement of contractors and ensure proper identification of authorized personnel.

Supporting the motion, the member representing Ezza South Constituency, Hon. Friday Ogbuewu, condemned what he described as “a reign of terror” by some revenue agents, accusing them of tarnishing the image of the state government.

“What happened yesterday in Abakaliki was very unfortunate. Our people were being beaten and killed in the name of enforcing IGR collection.

“This board is not projecting the image of Ebonyi State positively,” Ogbuewu lamented.

He called for a full House session with the board’s leadership to address the situation and review the practice of contracting traffic and revenue enforcement.

Similarly, the member representing Ebonyi North West, Hon. Aloysius Nwodo, decried high-level extortion by both revenue collectors and some security personnel, urging the Assembly to exercise its oversight powers.

“At Ishieke Police Division and other checkpoints, motorists and cyclists are extorted daily.

“The Assembly must review and caution such practices to ensure the people feel the positive impact of government policies,” Nwodo said.

In his ruling, Speaker Moses Ije-Odunwa directed the Ebonyi IGR Board to reform its operations within two weeks or face summons from the House.

He also cautioned against the extortion of petty traders and ordered that all task force teams be properly branded for easy identification.

“The board should sit up and sanitize revenue collection in line with the Governor’s vision.

“If the harassment continues, the House will summon them. Nobody should collect money from petty traders, and all tax force members must wear identifiable uniforms,” Odunwa said.

He further advised motorists, tricyclists, and motorcyclists to keep their vehicle documents up to date to avoid unnecessary harassment.

Meanwhile, the House also approved funds for the 2025 Christmas Palliative following a letter from Governor Francis Nwifuru, which sought legislative concurrence for the disbursement approved by the State Executive Council on October 29, 2025.

The motion to accept the governor’s request as a working document of the House was moved by Hon. Kingsley Ikoro and seconded by Hon. Ifeanyi Nwakpu (Ikwo North).

In another development, the House passed for second reading HAB No. 007 of 2025: A Bill to Amend the Ebonyi State College of Health Sciences and Technology Law, 2025, which seeks to rename the institution located in Ngbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

The bill was committed to the House Committees on Education, Health, Justice, and Judiciary for further legislative action.

Ebonyi Assembly gives IGR board two-week ultimatum to end harassment of residents