The authorities of the Delta State Environmental Taskforce have arrested four environmental marshals involved in illegal night extortion of residents of Oshimili South Local Government Area of the State.

The suspects were apprehended on Friday along Summit Road in Asaba, the state capital.

The task force team, led by Chief Agbari, recognised the marshals engaging in unauthorised activities and contacted Comrade Adim Dikedi, the Supervisory Officer on Environment for Oshimili South, for clarification regarding the marshals’ actions.

Upon receiving the call, Supervisor Dikedi ordered the immediate detention of the four officers at a police station until he could address the matter personally.

It was revealed that one of the apprehended marshals was impersonating the current Supervisor on Environment, prompting further concern about corruption within the ranks.

Dikedi emphasised his agency’s commitment to eradicating corruption among environmental marshals.

He expressed that any form of misconduct would not be tolerated and reaffirmed a directive issued in January, prohibiting marshals from operating beyond 4:00 pm.

He said the incident underscored the challenges of overseeing environmental enforcement and the need for accountability within such an agency.

Dikedi said ensuring transparency and integrity among environmental officers is crucial for maintaining public trust, especially when allegations of extortion are involved.

Supervisor Dikedi expressed commitment to a stricter policy, indicating a proactive approach to preventing similar incidents in the future, reinforcing operational guidelines for environmental personnel.

He stressed that the incident had raised awareness about the importance of ethical conduct in governance and the effective management of environmental resources.

Dikedi noted the popular Ogbegonogo Central Market in Asaba is the only market, he officially authorised environmental marshals to operate in the evenings to assist in the decongestion of the traffic jam always occurring there.

He warned that henceforth any Oshimili South environmental marshal caught operating at odd hours should be arrested with immediate effect and taken to the nearest police station. (The Nation)