Commercial Drivers Protest Police Extortion

For about three hours mid week, Enugu urban commercial drivers blocked the Trans-Ekulu end of Enugu-Onitsha dual carriageway in protest over incessant extortions by the Police at check points.

 Commuters from that axis were stranded, while some diverted to Abakpa Nike road to overcome the built up traffic logjam as a result of the protest.

 The drivers who carried placards also compelled motorists to put green leaves on their vehicles as a sign of solidarity in their struggle against the Police.

  They were seen in groups chanting war songs and displaying placards with inscriptions, “Police leave us alone’’, “No more N20 bribe’’, “these harassments cannot happen in the North’’ and “They are killing us like bush meat’’.

 The protest, however, followed an alleged confrontation with the policemen in the early hours of Wednesday at a check point.

 It was gathered that the one of the drivers whose name was given simply as ‘Uche’ had an exchange with combined team of Police and the Army on the Trans-Ekulu Bridge over demand for N40.

 An eyewitness told  newsmen that Uche wanted to jump a long queue but the patrol team on spotting him demanded N40.

  The source said that Uche was in a bid to out-maneuver the check point without paying his “toll’ compelled the anti-riot policeman to cock his AK 47  riffle ready to shoot.

  According to the source, the driver who was visibly afraid, lost control of the bus with registration number XZ 452 ENU and ran into a drainage system under construction.