- The riders called on Governor Peter Mbah to intervene
Tricycle riders in Enugu State took to the streets on Friday to protest alleged extortion, harassment, and corruption by the state chairman of the Amalgamated Tricycle Riders Union, Kingsley Edeh, and the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Obi Ozor.
The protesters accused the Ministry of Transportation and the union leadership of imposing an extra N200 daily levy, raising their total daily charge to N750 instead of the N550 announced by the state government.
Gathering around Edinburgh in Enugu North Local Government Area, the riders called on Governor Peter Mbah to intervene.
“They only care about their gain, not our welfare,” lamented Anike Calistus, one of the protesters. Another rider, identified as Stanley, alleged that some transport officials demand as much as N1,000 from them daily.
The protesters are demanding the removal of the union chairman and the commissioner for transport, citing corruption. They also urged the government to ensure transparency in levy collection.
An Industrial Court had barred the Riders Transport Union from collecting dues in Enugu State due to irregularities.
At the time of filing this report, the state government had yet to respond to the allegations.