Urban Dev Ministry Uncovers Fake Task Force

The Rivers State Ministry of Urban Development has exposed the fraudulent activities of a fake taskforce purportedly set up by the ministry to enforce the demolition of illegal structures in the state capital.

A statement by the state commissioner for Urban Development, Mr Osima Ginah said, the operations of the fraudsters who have extorted huge amount of money from residents, was uncovered through public complaints.

Ministry officials disclosed to The Tide, that the syndicate which had concentrated its legal activities at the Rumuolumini and Ada-George road axis of the state capital in the last two weeks intimidate victims a fake letter of appointment purportedly signed by the commissioner and armed men in the Nigerian mobile police uniform.

The statement of the commissioner, endorsed by his press secretary, Mr Ibilaba Nathan West said the ministry had never constituted any form of taskforce with a mandate to negotiate any form of fee to avoid the removal of any structures identified and marked as illegal.

“The ministry of Urban Development carried out its developmental control exercise transparently, with officially constituted teams, headed by professionals who are directors in the ministry. Contravening property owners are usually served with a notice duly signed by the leading director, which gives the public the opportunity to identify what and who are involved,” the statement said.

The ministry advised the public to apprehend or report anybody or group who parade themselves as members of a taskforce from the ministry, to law enforcement agencies and the ministry.

The statement also requested law enforcement agencies in the state to institute a check that would make their personnel “especially the regular police and mobile police forces, to refrain from constituting themselves as contributory factors to jeopardize the good intentions, of government.”

Amieyeofori Ibim