The Ebonyi Government has directed Mr Peter Oba, Special Assistant on Transport to Gov. David Umahi, to refund all illegal funds collected from the public.

Dr Kenneth Ugbala, the governor’s Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Internal Security gave the directive while briefing journalists at the end of the State Executive Council meeting on Thursday in Abakaliki.

The governor’s aide said that the decision followed a report on the illegal activities of Oba.

According to him, the executive council has been notified of Oba’s indefinite suspension for constituting an illegal task force used in creating problems for the government.

“Several people complained that when they park their vehicles to attend to needs, the vehicles’ plate numbers are removed by the task force before they return.

“The task force members will tell them to pay money and the government is worried as such funds do not accrue into government coffers.

“The persons collecting such funds are not accountable to the government so the state exco directed Oba to refund the funds to the affected persons.

“He is also directed to return all the vehicle plate numbers the task force collected to their owners including those of reverend fathers and sisters,” he said.

Ugbala said that the state government had declared the task force illegal and advised the public to report to the police of any person attempting to extort money from them under the guise of the task force.

Also, Mr Cletus Ofoke, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice disclosed that the government had constituted a judicial commission of inquiry into the recent killings in different parts of the state.

•Excerpted from a Daily Sun report