Tricycle operators in Awka, Anambra State have taken to the streets to protest against the killing, abduction and harassment of their colleagues by suspected cultists and hoodlums.
This follows the killing of three tricycle riders were killed and the abduction of one person during an attack on tricycle operators by some cultists at the UNIZIK Junction.
Two other police officers and another woman was equally killed while the leader of the tricycle operators was abducted by the suspected cultists over levies imposed by the gang, which the Keke operators were resisting.
According to the operators, the cultists were sponsored by the government.
The Coordinator of the Keke Drivers Welfare Forum, Awka North and South, Mr Osita Obi, who addressed journalists in Awka during the protest on Wednesday said security operatives knew the hoodlums and could bring them to book.
He explained that a lot of their members have been killed, including that of Tuesday, adding that the union does not want it again.
He said: “Keke drivers are tired. We want to operate independently.
“Many of us cannot afford to live in good houses, send our children to good schools and wear good clothes; not because we are not making money, but the loopholes are just too many. We are remitting too much money to cultists; they will maim and kill us if we refuse to comply.
“We want to state clearly that if anything happens to any of us again, people should hold the government responsible because we expect the government to intervene.
“Keke drivers are willing to pay legitimate government revenues, but obnoxious revenues will no longer be tolerated.”
According to them, they pay end-of-year-party fee (N4,500), ID card renewal fee (N3,500), state management code fee (N4,000-N8,000), among others.
But one of the protesters, Emeka Uzoechi, said failure to conduct elections to replace the current leadership of the union was at the root of the crisis.
He said, “I am an HND holder from the Kaduna State Polytechnic, Zaria. I ventured into this business to be financially independent. We want the state government to compel the leadership to conduct a fresh election so we can assume leadership and be in charge of our affairs. When the election is democratically conducted, those extorting us will be removed from office.”
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Dr Emma Akpeh, dismissed the claims of the operators that they were compelled to pay levies to cult gangs.
