IMAN raises alarm over govt harassment, arrest of chairman, members

Import Association of Nigeria (IMAN), Anambra State has raised alarm over the alleged declaration of its Chairman, Comrade Emeka Ojukwu, wanted and arrest of some of its members by the Anambra State Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Wealth Creation and Anambra State Ministry of Transport.

It alleged that the Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Wealth Creation, Chief Uchenna Okafor and his Ministry of Transport counterpart, Afam Mbanefo have been harassing and intimidating its members, even when they had no business with them.

Addressing newsmen on Thursday in Onitsha, Chairman Board of Trustees of IMAN, Chief Gilbert Obi claimed both Commissioners further alleged that IMAN was an illegal organization that should not exist in the state.

He said the body had no problem with the State Government, calling on Governor Willie Obiano to call them to order to forestall crises between the government and the association which he said was accountable to the Federal Government.

“Governor Obiano should verify every information from his Commissioners and his aides because they only tell him what he wants to hear and infringe on peoples right because those people do not have easy access to the Governor.

“How can anybody claim that IMAN is an illegal association and be harassing and intimidating its members, deceiving the Governor and his government to make utterances and decisions ordinarily he is not supposed to make or take?”

Reacting, Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Wealth Creation, Chief Okafor denied declaring anybody wanted, saying he only arrested some touts obstructing traffic on the highway with tinted-glass vehicles marked IMAN, and claiming to be anti illegal importation taskforce of the association.

He accused them of extorting money from innocent members of the public ranging from N200,000 to N1 million, saying their investigations from the importers in the State proved they were not known.

“If all the importers in Anambra State, including Onitsha and Nnewi does on know anything about IMAN taskforce, then they are touts and that was what we saw before arresting them, whoever sent them should come forward to identify them, but unfortunately, since yesterday we arrested some of them nobody has come for them.

“Those arrested that looks like touts, does not have tax permit, they do not have revenue code, we don’t know who they are accountable to, they are with the law enforcement agents and we want their leaders who sent them to work to come for them so that we know who they are.”