Rivers: Taxi drivers protest killing of colleague, 3 arrested

Okafor Ofiebor/Rivers

Three among scores of commercial drivers who took over the popular Rumuokoro roundabout in Obio-Akpor local government area of Rivers in protest over the killing of the colleague by the of members of the State Taskforce on Road Congestion have been arrested.

Also, soldiers have taken over and clear Rumuokoro roundabout, clearing the blockage caused by the protesting drivers to ensure free flow of traffic.

However, one of the drivers who spoke to a Port Harcourt based Radio Station claimed their protest has been peaceful and people are going about their businesses without let or hindrance.

“We don’t know why they have arrested three of members of our members. We have been on a peaceful protest against the killing of one of our members”.

However, PM NEWS can confirm that the protest by the taxi drivers had stalled business activities and vehicular movements, leaving commuters stranded at the popular Rumuokoro flyover roundabout early Monday morning.

The scores of angry drivers who took over the roundabout said they were protesting the killing of one of their members by an official of Rivers State Taskforce on road decongestion.

The drivers under auspices of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Rivers State branch said the driver was killed on Sunday.

The protesting drivers were armed with sticks and placards with the inscriptions such as:” No more Taskforce”, “Wike save us”, “We’re tired of Extortion” and others.

They said they are demanding for the slain driver.

One of the protesters, Emeka Ibe, who claimed to be the brother of the victim, said the deceased was physically assaulted by the Task Force official who hit him on his head with a stick.

‘My brother had finished loading passengers and pleaded that they should allow him carry a friend in the front. The Taskforce people refused, punctured his tyres and removed the battery of his vehicle. Due to the beating, my brother slumped. He was rushed a nearby private hospital in Rumuodomaya where he was referred to UPTH where he confirmed dead at about 3 am this morning.”

“The man killed is such a quiet man. He severely beaten and his head was hit on a concrete tarred road. We are tired of the high-handedness of the Taskforce,” another colleague of the late driver said.

He also confirmed that they had reported the matter at Divisional Police Station in Rumuodomaya, headquarters of Obio-Akpor local government area.

Our Correspondent reports that stranded commuters were forced to trek long distances to their various destinations due to the protest.

At time of filing this report, the Rivers State Police Command was yet to speak on the matter.