Tension flared across major markets in Benin City on Tuesday as traders staged protests over what they described as multiple and excessive taxation imposed by various revenue agents.
Markets affected include Oba Market, Uselu Market, and New Benin Market, where traders temporarily shut down stalls, chanting slogans and displaying placards demanding relief. The traders accused revenue collectors of daily levies, unofficial charges, and harassment, which they say are crippling small businesses.
Several traders claimed they already pay state and local government taxes, yet continue to face additional collections from unidentified agents. Many allege that failure to comply often leads to confiscation of goods or threats of shop closure.
Women traders, who form a large portion of the market population, expressed frustration, stating that profits have shrunk drastically amid rising cost of goods and declining customer purchasing power.
In response, officials from the Edo State Internal Revenue Service said the government does not support illegal taxation and urged traders to report unauthorized collectors. However, protesters insist that enforcement on the ground tells a different story.
The protest has reignited broader conversations around informal sector regulation, accountability, and economic survival in Edo State.
