Tanker Drivers Protest Brutality

Pandemonium broke out paralysing business activities Wednesday on Iwofe Road Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt as petroleum tanker drivers unit of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) embarked on a protest.

According to the state NUPENG chairman, Comrade Chinedu Chibueze, members of the PTD unit were mobilised out to protest the constant molestation of tanker drivers by the police along the Iwofe Road.

He said “we blocked the Iwofe Road to draw attention to the constant harassment of our members of the PTD unit plying Iwofe Road in the state by police.”

Also speaking to The Tide, NUPENG Deputy Chairman, PTD branch in the state, Comrade Albert Ugochukwu Nwosu said the action of the police towards the PTD members was very unfortunate.

He said that “police brutalised one of our members by name Mr. Osita who was beaten up at St. Michael Junction Rumuolumeni by a group of policemen escorting an expatriate.”

According to him, Mr. Osita, a tanker driver was reported to have fainted in the process and was immediately rushed to a private hospital in the state.

Meanwhile, when The Tide contacted the PPPO Rivers Police Command, over the issue, a voice over his cell phone said he was in a meeting, and was unable to speak to The Tide.