Traders Fault Niger State Govt’s Denial Of N100,800 Levy
Shop owners have challenged the Niger State government’s denial of claims that it demanded a ₦100,800 environmental levy.
Earlier, the Niger State government claimed that reports about it demanding N100,800 from traders were “false news.”
SaharaReporters had exclusively reported the demand notices issued to shop owners by the government.
The General Manager of the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA), Dr. Abubakar Muhammad, denied the allegation at a press conference in Minna, the state capital, on Thursday.
“The agency introduced a ‘pay-as-you-throw’ initiative specifically designed to support petty traders.
“This was launched on October 10, 2024. This programme allows owners of small businesses to purchase a litter bag for only N150,” he said.
He was quoted as saying that any bill exceeding the standard rate was erroneous and invited “affected individuals to verify their bills via barcode scan, which would reveal the correct amount, ranging from N25,200.”
Despite his claim that the report of a N100,800 levy was false, traders and documents seen by SaharaReporters contradict his statement.
Traders who spoke to SaharaReporters on Friday morning affirmed that officials of the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency came demanding the payments, threatening to shut down shops for non-compliance.
“When they came, they were three, a woman and two men. They even told us they would lock our shops if we refused to pay the money by the time they come around for payments,” a business owner told SaharaReporters.
Another business owner, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, told SaharaReporters that the officials brought the letters, and the government’s subsequent denial was shocking.
“The government cannot say they are not aware of the fact that these officials came. They came with a Niger State government letter and also threatened to close our shops even when we told them we cannot raise N100,800,” the trader said.
“We have paid so many levies this year that if we continue like this, the business may not last any longer.”
Documents cited by SaharaReporters from different traders confirm their accounts of the government’s N100,800 levy through the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency.