Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Oleh Central Motor park in Isoko South Local Government Area, has clampdown on illegal tricycle operators alleged of contravening the state government rules and regulations guiding their operation.
Speaking with our correspondence amidst the tension heightened atmosphere, the Assistant State Secretary, Comrade Chief Ogweri described the tricycle park as a parallel unit to the Delta state motorcycle/tricycle riders association which to him, is an infringement adding that the chairman of the motorcycle riders association who was also contacted over the incident pleaded he had no knowledge of the illegal tricycle operators.
“One Mr. Onos from Igbide community has been parading himself as chairman without observing due process; he has not bought form nor contested election at any time. What he and his cohorts are doing, is plying Keke from Oleh to Ughelli and at such, they are distracting customers and slowing down business flow. As representative of the Oleh Central Motor Park, we confronted them amicably but what we got was a violent reprisal attack that almost stirred up a serious crisis.
“They mounted a road block at Iyede community intercepting any vehicle coming from Oleh or Ughelli, the passengers discharged, and some of the drivers and passengers who protested against the ill-conceived treatment meted to them were molested and beaten up and the windscreen of one of the drivers was broken. We have lodged our report at the Oleh divisional police station, our statement taken and the young man in question has been arrested and detained for further investigation.”
Meanwhile as at time of filing this report, the protesting alleged illegal tricycle riders who were contacted by our correspondence severally over the alleged incident declined comments stating that they cannot speak when their chairman was still in police custody, although some side comments made by the aggrieved tricycle riders revealed a complicated situation as most of them were faced with the challenge of balancing 1.2 million naira before ownership can be transferred to them under the hire purchase agreement.
To this, they decried that commuting within the Isoko towns would further enslave them in poverty as they continually strive tirelessly to meet their target but this can only be resolved if their modus operandi changes.
