The Managing Director (MD) of G-Complex Nigeria Limited, Abdulhamid Mahmud Zari, has accused the revenue agents of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of disrupting his business and assault on his staff.
Mr. Zari told newsmen in Abuja that seven construction workers of G-Complex were assaulted and injured by officials of AMAC over claims that the company failed to pay the annual vehicle permit levy.
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He said the workers were harassed around Gwarimpa Junction, Abuja, during an official assignment.
He further alleged that the workers were attacked with machetes and other dangerous weapons and that two vehicles belonging to the company were confiscated; a situation which he said had led to the disruption of his businesses with huge losses incurred.
Zari who described the action of the revenue collectors as illegal, explained that the AMAC agents demanded, “N200 bribe from one of the staff and as soon as he brought the money out to pay, they demanded the particulars of the vehicle. As soon as he showed them, they said the car does not have a sticker which they said is being sold for N35,000. So they decided to call a superior staff. As they arrived, they attacked them and inflicted injuries on them,” adding that the victims were at the Maitama General Hospital.
Responding, the Head of Operations of AMAC’s Task Force on Haulage, Light and Heavy Duty Vehicles, Douglas Badi, told reporters that it was the G-Complex workers that started the attack on the revenue officials.
Badi said, “When the driver was brought to the office I told him he should not park as I didn’t want a situation where we would start having physical contact.
“He now talked to his boss who told them that he was going to send his boys. I sat with some of our staff and I saw some boys numbering about 30. They were coming from the other side of the road where their vehicles were packed.
“We now sent two of our staff to the other side to do surveillance. We traced them there and when we saw them, we asked the security to detain them. We came back to this place and the next thing we saw was that one of their staff struck our staff with a shovel on the face and on his hand.”