Commuters stranded as drivers protest alleged extortion by NURTW in Port Harcourt

Hundreds of commuters were on Wednesday left stranded and forced to trek long distances following the withdrawal of services by commercial drivers operating the Choba–NTA–Rumuola route over alleged extortion and harassment by the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Rumuola branch.

The aggrieved drivers, drawn from different transport unions, accused the branch leadership headed by Julius Uchenna-Uzoma of imposing multiple levies and using thugs and suspected cultists to intimidate and harass operators who fail to comply with the demands.

Some of the protesting drivers alleged that, apart from purchasing government-approved tickets, they were compelled to pay additional charges, including community fees and other daily levies, warning that continued multiple taxation had made it difficult for them to maintain their vehicles and cater to their families.

A commercial driver, Kingsley Ezemonye, said the protest became necessary because of what he described as incessant extortion by the union leadership.

“We embarked on this protest because of what is happening at Rumuola. The NURTW leadership is not doing well. All they do is extort money from drivers. They have now introduced another registration exercise, which we believe is only a means to enrich an individual. If there is any payment to be made, it should come through the Ministry of Transport and not from any individual. Enough is enough,” he said.

Another driver, who identified himself simply as Chidi, also decried what he described as excessive extortion.

“The money we are paying at this junction is too much. How can you buy tickets and still pay extra money for somebody to sign your ticket? They once seized my vehicle battery because I did not buy tickets on a public holiday. My brother had to pay ₦4,000 before they released it. That is not fair,” he alleged.

Also speaking, the National Publicity Secretary of the Self-Employed Drivers Welfare Initiative, Abel Williams, accused the NURTW leadership in Rumuola of forcing drivers to register under the union despite the fact that they operate along a federal road and not inside a motor park.

According to him, drivers have repeatedly complained about multiple taxation and alleged harassment by touts who demand money during loading and offloading operations.

“The drivers have been complaining about the multiple taxation they face at Rumuola Junction. They said touts come around their vehicles to demand money and, if they refuse to pay, they are assaulted. The NURTW leadership is also demanding personal payments from our members despite the fact that they have already purchased government-approved tickets,” he said.

However, the Chairman of the NURTW Rumuola branch, Julius Uchenna-Uzoma, dismissed the allegations of multiple taxation, harassment and intimidation.

He, however, admitted that the union introduced a registration and profiling exercise for drivers and their vehicles, explaining that the measure was designed to enhance security and check criminal activities allegedly perpetrated by some individuals using commercial tricycles and buses.

According to him, all other transport units operating within the area had complied with the directive except the Choba–Rumuola unit, adding that the matter had earlier been resolved by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Kala Police Station.

“In recent times, there have been cases of criminals using commercial vehicles to kidnap and commit other crimes. We decided as a union that every driver and vehicle operating in our branch should be profiled so that their details are in our database and criminals can be easily identified.

“When the issue came up, the drivers protested, but the DPO agreed that the profiling exercise was necessary and advised that they be given more time to comply. What you are seeing today is an attempt by some drivers to evade the profiling exercise,” Uchenna-Uzoma stated.

The protesting drivers, however, appealed to the Rivers State Government and other relevant authorities to urgently intervene and end what they described as extortion, harassment and intimidation of commercial operators in the state.