Abuja: The Katampe Extension Residents Association (KERA) has condemned alleged illegal raids by agents of the Bwari Area Council over the enforcement of Radio and Television licence fees. Mr Mohammed Gimba, President of KERA, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Gimba reported that in recent days, ‘thugs and armed personnel’ invaded the district, forcibly arresting gatekeepers and other domestic staff who were performing their lawful duties within private residential properties. He explained that these individuals were rounded up without cause, taken away in trucks, and the residences they were guarding were left unsecured, with gates left wide open.
Gimba expressed that this alarming conduct had created widespread fear and threatened the peace and safety of the neighborhood. He alleged that the actions, carried out under the guise of enforcing payment of radio and television licence fees, constituted acts of extortion and serious violations of the fundamental human rights of the residents. Gimba emphasized that the arrests were conducted in total disregard of Nigerian law, which under the 1999 Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, does not permit substitutional arrest or detention without reasonable suspicion of committing a crime.
He further explained that the issue of radio and television licence fees is a civil matter, not a criminal one, and noted that Katampe Extension falls under the jurisdiction of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), not Bwari Area Council. He mentioned that AMAC had already suspended the imposition and collection of Radio and TV taxes on residential properties. Gimba criticized Bwari Area Council for aggressively pursuing residents outside its jurisdiction in a manner that violates the law.
Gimba raised concerns about the integrity and legality of the operation, revealing that some of the payments demanded were reportedly being directed into private company accounts. He lamented that the residents of Katampe Extension had seen no development projects by Bwari Area Council in the district and described the revenue drive as an attempt to extort law-abiding citizens.
In response to these developments, KERA has called on the FCT Minister, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Judicial Service Commission to urgently intervene and address the actions of Bwari Area Council. Gimba urged the council to cease its unlawful actions and engage in transparent dialogue with the residents. He stressed the readiness of the residents to engage but vowed that they would not endure harassment, extortion, or violations of their constitutional rights.
Meanwhile, the lawyer representing Bwari Area Council, Sunday Anierobi, informed the association that he was acting on court orders.