Tricycle operators protest in Abakaliki over alleged extortion

HUNDREDS of tricycle operators popularly called  keke  have staged a peaceful protest in Abakaliki the Ebonyi State capital over extortion and multiple taxation by some state government agents.

The angry keke operators as early as 7 O clock marched to Government House and barricaded the main gate disrupting vehicular movement for several hours in the metropolis.

According to one of the protesters, Anthony Nwite, they were being harassed and intimidated by some government officials for not complying with the payment of N3,400 fee by the State’s Ministry of Works.

The operators blocked the government house gate before also going to block the entrance of the Ministry of Works, so as to prevent the Commissioner, Mr Fedelix Nweze and other government officials from gaining entrance to the ministry.

“We are in Government House to ascertain if the multiple levies was actually imposed on them by the state government and to urge Governor David Umahi to intervene as well as wade into the leadership crisis currently rocking the association.

Reports also had it that the demonstration also affected residents of the city who were not vehicle owners as they resorted to trekking long distance to their offices and markets.

They lamented the continued harassment and intimidation of their members in the hands of the state government agents, who continued to make life unbearable for them.

“It is regrettable and unfortunate that in most cases, when they impound our tricycle and we are asked to come to their office, when you get there, it is either your keke would be missing or you won’t see the battery again. Daily, we get reports of missing seized keke, the tyres, radio sets among others.

“When we would make inquiry on the whereabouts of the missing keke, we will not get positive answer. We decided to come to Government House to peacefully protest to the government and for them to come to our aid”.

It was learnt that the tricyclists were not fortunate enough to reach the State’s Deputy Governor,  Kelechi Igwe,  the Acting Governor of the state as he allegedly declined to talk with them.

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Umahi, on Security,  Kenneth Ugbala later mobilized armed security men  and chased the protesters away from the gate to pave way for government functionaries into the government House.

He said that there had been leadership crisis in the tricycle union in the last one year, adding that government had to dissolve the two factions to allow peace reign in the body.