Female Scrap Metal Trader Accuses Anambra Taskforce Of Extortion And False Accusation
A female scrap metal trader in Anambra State, Hajiah Ishia Zeberu, has accused the state taskforce of harassment, false accusation, and extortion. She claims the group demanded over a million Naira from her for a violation she says she was not aware of.
How it started? Hajiah Zeberu, whose business is located on Modebe Street in Onitsha South Local Government Area, described how members of the taskforce entered her premises, headed to a specific location inside her shop, collected some metal scraps, and accused her of illegally possessing government property.
She expressed shock and confusion, stating that she had just returned from a pilgrimage and resumed business the same day the taskforce arrived. Instead of receiving blessings after her journey, she was confronted with an accusation she knew nothing about.
Detainment and Payment of Fine Zeberu reported that the officials took her to the OCHA Brigade office along the Onitsha-Asaba road. There, she said, they pressured her into paying a large amount of money to reopen her shop, which had been sealed for almost a week.
False accusation of Set-Up The trader believes the taskforce planted the controversial scrap metal in her shop. She questioned how people unfamiliar with her shop could identify the exact location of the specific metal pieces if it hadn’t been planned.
She urged the state government to dissolve the eleven-member taskforce, accusing them of corruption and misconduct.
Lack of Action Against the Real Offender In a surprising twist, Zeberu said her staff later found the actual person responsible for bringing the controversial scrap to her shop and handed him over to the taskforce. However, she claimed the officials let the suspect go without questioning, raising suspicions that the individual might be working with the taskforce.
Security Measures and Future Plans To protect her business, Hajiah Zeberu has installed surveillance cameras around her store. She expressed her disappointment, saying she feels unwelcome in Anambra State and is now considering returning to her home state.
Conclusion At the time of this report, Hajiah Zeberu’s efforts to contact the taskforce members for their side of the story were unsuccessful, as no contact details were made available to the press.