On Sunday, some Nigerian Army personnel dispersed some youths suspected of illegally collecting money from traders in Benin markets.
The youths, numbering over 15, reportedly stormed markets at Mission Road, Lagos Street, and surrounding areas to illegally collect money from traders. At the Mission Road market, however, a mild drama occurred when a soldier ordered the youths to leave the area because they were bouncing between shops.
The youths yelled at the soldier, telling him that he had no authority to order them to leave the market.
They, however, took to their heels when the officer reached for his gun and threatened to shoot them.
The traders, who were primarily women and thrilled about the development, claimed that the young people from the community were making their lives more difficult.
They claimed that every December, particularly the few days leading up to Christmas and the New Year, the idle youths constantly extort them. The traders who spoke on condition of anonymity, said with the development, they always deploy security personnel in the markets in December.
They equally called on the Edo State Government to provide them with the enabling environment to carry out their businesses by securing the markets.
“We are tired of the activities of illegal revenue collectors who are always making things difficult for us especially during every December and New Year.
“Every year we get the security personnel by ourselves, especially the soldiers, to give us the necessary protection against community youths who are always coming to extort and collect money from us and if you fail to give them they will confiscate your goods.
“We appeal to the State Governor Monday Okpebholo to please come to our aid by providing security for us to do our business without being harassed, extorted and molested by these youths who are masquerading themselves as revenue collectors,” one of the traders said.
