For hours unending last Monday, vehicular movements, commercial and socio-economic activities were grounded, commuters stranded, when operators of commercial tricycle, called Keke NAPEP, protested to express their grievances over what they termed ‘illegal levies, harassment and extortion’ by police in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state.
SADIQ ABUBAKAR reports
Protest Ground Socio-Economic Life Maiduguri city, the state capital of Borno state, went agog and thrown into another tension and confusion last Monday, when residents of the state woke up peacefully with the intention of reaching their offices and business places smoothly and quietly, but got stranded because commercial Keke NAPEP riders protesters blocked the major routes in the metropolis paralyzing socio-economic and commercial activities for more than four hours.
No fewer than 100 commercial tricycle riders, popularly known as Keke NAPEP, in Maiduguri on that Monday embarked on the protest, barricading major roads and high ways within the state capital obstructing vehicular and pedestrian movements, consequently commuters were stranded.
‘Illegal levies’ Our correspondent gathered that the commercial riders were protesting alleged illegal collection of levies ranging from N1,000 to N1,500, from the members of the Keke NAPEP Riders Association in connivance with the leaders of their association.
Few riders that spoke to newsmen on the matter said they went into the protest to register their position as dissatisfaction and extortion of money by the police and Keke NAPEP officials because the ways and manners their leadership conspired against them with the policemen to be collecting money from them at the detriment of their operations was becoming unbearable at this hard time.
Some even alleged that the conspiracy had reached the level where policemen do arrest them and extort money from them while the leaders of the association remained helpless and show ‘I don’t care attitude’.
Tear gas caused chaos A situation that caused public disorder as policemen used tear gas to disperse the protesters along the police headquarters despite the hold up and traffic jam on the streets.
A Keke NAPEP rider, Abubakar Ali, said “Policemen have been disturbing us, when they meet us they just take to us police station, without any offence and you have to pay between N1,000 and N1,500.
“We are not making any trouble but we want government’s intervention, even if you have all your particulars, they still charge you.
We are therefore calling on the Commissioner of Police and Borno state governments to do something urgently,” he added.
Another keke NAPEP rider, Idris Ibrahim, said in a day they hardly make N3,500 and that N500 is for fuel, while N2,500 is for balance, but when police collected N1,500 from you, then, you are left with no money to pay the NAPEP owner his balance.
He said “We are calling on the state commissions of police to intervene, because this is the only means of livelihood we have.” Police appeal for calm But in a statement issued by the Borno State Police Command PPRO, DSP Edet Okon, said the State Commissioner of Police, CP Damian Chukwu, has appealed to keke NAPEP commercial riders on protest over the alleged illegal collection levies from them by LGC officials Monday in Maiduguri who took over major streets and roads within the state capital causing high road traffic and raising tension before security and government official brought the situation under control to be calm and go about their normal businesses peaceful as measures were being taken to address the issue.
The police statement reads: “Today being 30/07/18, Tricycle Riders within Maiduguri Metropolis embarked on protest alleging illegal collection of levies by Local Government Authorities and non-provision of Motor Parks for their operations.
“They were promptly addressed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations DCP Maiyaki Baba and the State Attorney General/Commissioner of Justice.
The situation has been brought under control and no life was lost.
“The Commissioner of Police Borno State, CP Damian Chukwu, hereby urges members of the public to be law abiding and always endeavor to report their grievances to the police or other appropriate government agencies.
“He also urges members of the public to go about their lawful activities without fear as the police will continue to work to ensure their safety.” Meanwhile, in what looks like a swift reaction from the Borno state Commissioner of Police, Mr.
Damian Chukwu, on the protest and allegation against the police which is making the round all over the city, the Borno state Commissioner of Police CP Damian Chukwu in a press briefing with newsmen in his office Monday evening said ,”on getting the news of the protest I investigated the matter and after directed for immediate investigation into the allegations against the Motor Traffic Division of the police operating within the state capital.
“I have also closed down the Motor Traffic Division of the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and disbanded the division while a separate order has been made for the Divisional headquarters to post all the officers and men of the MMC Police Motor Traffic Division outside the state capital to work henceforth”, Chukwu said.
The CP further assured that anybody found guilty after the investigation will be punished accordingly as such allegation was completely an indictment to the corporate image of the NPF and will not be condoned.
But Chukwu added that whatever could have happened, it was not proper for the government officials to be collecting levies from the commercial keke NAPEP riders without providing them with parking space or bus stop within the state capital while revenue was being collected.
He also noted that investigation into the matter revealed that Motor Traffic Division of the MMC Division Police headquarters officers and men were stationed all over the city at strategic places or bus stops and do arrest the keke NAPEP riders for illegal parking and take them to the Police station on traffic count charge knowing full well that they don’t have bus stops.
The CP however frowned at the manner the local government councils within the state capital of Maiduguri city have been collecting levies regularly from the commercial keke NAPEP riders without constructing or providing parking spaces for them within the neighbourhoods or bus stops along the major roads and highways within the state capital, Maiduguri from the money collected by the local government councils.
Alleged harassment and extortion “The protesters also alleged harassment & extortion by security personnel especially the Central Motor Traffic Division ,Maiduguri.
2.BRS Commr For Justice/Attorn Gen & Eye promptly intervened & the situation was brought under control.No loss of life or injury sustained & no damage to property.
“Normalcy has returned with free flow of vehicular traffic & persons.
In the meantime, eye have disbanded the Central Motor Traffic Division pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation by the State CIID,pls…
CP Borno.” However, because the LGCs have no elected chairmen in office yet and the Caretaker Committee Chairmen of all the 27 LGAs in the state were yet to be reappointed by the state Governor Kashim Shettima, after his recent dissolution of the 27 LGCs Caretaker Committee Chairmen, last month on the expiration of their six months tenure as provides for by the BOSHA Local Government Administration Law 2000 (Amended).
Investigation revealed that the LGCs were being controlled and coordinated by the LGCs Secretaries pending the reappointment of another set of LGCs Caretaker Committee Chairmen may be in August 2018.
Our Correspondent’s efforts to get the MMC Secretary to speak on the matter failed as the Secretary was said not to be on seat while the MMC Treasurer was also unavailable.
