By Onah Onah
Scores injured as truck drivers clash with touts, revenue collectors in Onitsha.
The protest which started in the early hours, Friday later degenerated to a total lockdown of the bridge as well as the Enugu-Onitsha, Onitsha- Owerri expressway and all the roads that lead into and exit of Anambra State, through Onitsha.
The situation caused commuters to be stranded while some people alighted from their vehicles and started trekking.
While stating the reason for their action, the drivers lamented that the state government, had imposed a levy of N30,000 for trailers loading and offloading goods in Anambra State, while other vehicles have their own amount ranging from N20,000 to N25,000.
A driver, identified as Odion Omoroge, who spoke on behalf of the aggrieved members said he drove all night from Abuja to Benin, where he carried bags of Garri and some tubers of yam into Onitsha, expressed surprise about the levy.
He said, “Violence about collection of money by the government revenue collectors is being witnessed daily in Anambra State particularly in Onitsha, violence is more pronounced now more than ever before, yet the same government said it does not want touts, yet touts are having field day on the roads on a daily basis.”
Although, the police were on the ground preventing a break down of law and order as the aggrieved drivers continued their actions, even as commuters battled to pass through the roads.
The state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not be reached as calls and messages to his telephone line were not responded to.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State government has warned that it would not fold it’s hands and watch as hoodlums destroy the state.
The State commissioner for transport, Mrs Pat Igweike who gave the warning in Awka on Friday, said the state government would not tolerate activities of a group of tout who masquerade as drivers of lorries, trucks.
The commissioner who spoke to journalists through one of her aids who didn’t want his name mentioned said that no amount of distraction will deter the governor of Anambra State from his well focused oriented programs to reposition Anambra State, economically, socially and otherwise.
She warned that government would deal decisively with any body cought instigating civil unrest as a camoflage to divert government revenue to private pockets saying that the days for such act of brigandage are gone in Anambra State
It could be recalled that the same people since this week have been mobilizing groups of touts who hide under one association or the other to cause mayhem in the State.
“Yesterday it was the mini bus, under the Augie’s of the urban drivers union ODUA, today is the lorry drivers,even as she accused them of being motivated by opposition political parties ,just to potray the government of the solution governor in bad light”.
The group claimed they were protesting against the state government tax imposition on trailers, lorries, truck and other vehicles bringing goods into Anambra State.
