Thousands of workers, traders and other commuters trekked to their different places of engagement on Monday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, as aggrieved tricycle popularly called “Keke” operators embarked on stay-at-home protests.
The keke operators are protesting heavy taxation imposed on them by Bayelsa State Government,  complaining that the recent imposition of N6,500 payment on them through the state Ministry of Transport for “security numbers” was one tax too many.
It was gathered that the  Keke riders took the decision to carry out the action at a meeting they held in Yenagoa at the weekend.
The action  which began effectively at 7:00am Monday caused transportation  difficulties for commuters in the state capital  as the tricycle operators stayed off the roads.
School children, civil servants, workers in private organisations, traders, security personnel and shop owners, among others, were seen stranded at bus stops along the Mbiama-Yenagoa Road, Isaac Boro Expressway and junctions of major streets in Yenagoa.
Many trekked  long distances to get to their destination as very few taxis plying the poorly networked roads and streets used the opportunity to hike their fares.
Detachments of security personnel, especially policemen patrolled the city in show of force, blaring sirens indiscriminately thereby causing tensions and anxiety among residents.
It was observed that the Government House area along the Mbiama-Yenagoa Road was cordoned off with over six security patrol vans and an armoured personnel carrier manned by soldiers.
The security measure was aimed at preventing the Keke riders from taking their protest to the seat of power should they decide to take to the streets.
Some of the Keke operators who were monitoring compliance by their members were picked up by the police in various parts of Yenagoa, sources said.
Welfare chairman of the Keke Riders Association, Okafor Jonah, said the Ministry of Transport had in 2013 subjected them to the registration for the same security numbers for which they paid N2,500.
Condemning the arrests of some of their members, he said they do not understand the reason behind the new levy of N6,500 slammed on them by the government.
“We obtained security numbers in 2013 with the sum of N2,500 from the  Ministry of Transport. Now, the same Ministry of Transport is still the one bringing the same security number at the cost of N6,500. It is unacceptable”, he said.
He said that besides the Ministry of Transport, government agencies like the environmental sanitation authority, local government councils, and the road transport unions also charge them various forms of levies.
Jonah lamented that government and security agents also harass them and extort an average of  N1,500 over the fading off of the state’s colour on their tricycles, among other sundry impositions.