The Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage of the FCTA has raised the concerns over increase in cases of fake revenue collectors in the territory.
The Director of DOAS, Dr Baba-Gana Adam said if the impostors are left unchecked, it will jeopardize all the administration’s efforts to boost revenue generation.
Briefing journalists, Adam warned residents especially big business owners to steer clear of fraudsters that feign to be officials of DOAS, Abuja Municipal Area Council and FCT-IRS collecting tax.
He disclosed that the department recently arrested a fake revenue collectors’ kingpin, identified as Donald Umuogbo, who was released after he begged for forgiveness, only to resurface few months after.
“Within the span of 24 hours yesterday, more than 10 business owners in the FCT called me to complain about harassment by the impostors within the city, which is against advert law.
“They established themselves as another agency within strategic places in AMAC and carry out a lot of sad events”
The director called on Abuja residents and big business owners to only pay their revenue to the genuine government designated offices, not to touts on the roads.
“Any person that do business with unscrupulous elements in the name of paying revenue, does that at his or her risk.
“We have discovered extortions by touts masquerading as agents of the Federal Capital Territory and asked them to steer clear but they don’t want to steer clear. We won’t give up till the right thing is done”
Adam urged the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of Federal Capital Territory Administration signage bill that will make DOAS full agency.