Mr. Onayake made this declaration on Saturday, during an inspection tour of some major roads and junctions in the area, where he witnessed the activities of the taskforce and the reactions of the public.
He said he was displeased with the way the taskforce was carrying out its duties, which he said was contrary to the mandate given to them by the local government authority.
He said: "Following the series of complaints and alleged extortion of money by traffic taskforce, in Effurun and its environs, Uvwie local government area, Delta State, the chairman, Mr. Ramson Onayake has disbanded the alleged task force for their unpleasant attitude in the locality."
He added that the taskforce was not authorized to collect any money from anyone, but to ensure free flow of traffic and compliance with traffic rules and regulations.
He warned that anyone caught impersonating as a member of the taskforce or extorting money from road users would be arrested and prosecuted.
He also appealed to the residents and motorists to cooperate with the local government in maintaining order and sanity on the roads.
The disbandment of the traffic taskforce was greeted with applause and commendation by some residents and road users, who expressed their relief and satisfaction with the decision of the chairman.
They said they had suffered a lot of harassment and intimidation from the taskforce, who they accused of being rude, aggressive, and corrupt.
They also thanked the chairman for his prompt intervention and responsiveness to their plight.
Effurun is a town in Uvwie local government area of Delta State, Nigeria. It is one of the major urban centres in the state, with a population of over 300,000 people. It is also a commercial hub, with many businesses and industries located in the area.
The traffic situation in Effurun is often chaotic and congested, especially during peak hours. This has led to the establishment of various traffic management agencies and taskforces by different levels of government, to regulate and control the traffic flow.
However, some of these taskforces have been accused of abusing their powers and extorting money from road users, under various pretexts. This has generated a lot of public outcry and dissatisfaction among the residents and motorists.