By David Onwuchekwa
Anambra Property and Land Use Charge (APLUC) on Friday, December 5, 2025 sealed scores of buildings along Old Nnewi-Onitsha Road, Bank Road (Ezemewi) and some other places in Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area, taking street traders and residents by surprise.
When Our Correspondent visited Bank Road, the traders were seen wearing long faces discussing discussing their fate in small groups. Only buildings housing banks were spared.
Some of the traders interviewed individually said they came to their shops in the morning to see the red tapes and that there was no demand notice before the operatives of the agency swooped on them.
But in the contrary, one of the traders said there was a demand notice sometime in 2024 which he said the traders had dismissed as something that would not be enforced.
When Our Correspondent approached one of the officials of the APLUC sitting in a Toyota Sianna vehicle on the driver’s side during the drive at Bank Road to ascertain what the issue was, he initially wanted to talk but suddenly changed his mind and told this reporter to go and write anything he likes. He only said there was demand notice.
A police officer in multi sitting beside him at the passenger’s side in the same vehicle warned the reporter to be mindful of his move, brandishing a police identity card which was not demanded.
All efforts to hear from the APLUC official were frustrated.
The traders were rather busy negotiating with the official but this reporter could not understand the basis for the negotiation.
Chairman of the traders who did not disclose his name bluntly refused to talk to the reporter on two attempts.
But a trader confided to this reporter that APLUC allegedly demands an annual fee of N30, 000 from each of the sealed shops which was among the issues including bribe allegations this reporter wanted clarifications on from the APLUC official who refused to talk.
APLUC is a land-based tax introduced in 2011 to bring order to property taxation in Anambra State.
