Tina Amanda
Drivers plying Port Harcourt – Oyigbo axis of Rivers State, have staged a protest blocking the Eleme – Port Harcourt- Aba Road over their colleague who was planked to an unconscious state by some Eleme park touts.
It was gathered that the driver, identified as Nse, was beaten into an unconscious state by some touts at the Eleme motor park over non-compliance of fifty (50) naira extortion.
Disclosing their grievances, the drivers demanded a stop to the multiple illegal purchase of two thousand, five hundred naira (2,500) daily tickets from the park touts.
Some of the drivers who spoke to our correspondent narrated that their colleague, Nse (victim), who hails from Akwa Ibom State, was attacked by the park touts who demanded the sum of fifty naira extortion from him.
In the demand process, they pounced on him, hitting him with a plank on the head which led to him slipping out of consciousness.
The drivers also lamented that the illegal taxation is too much on them, as they can only afford to buy the tickets authorized by the Rivers State Ministry of Transport.
They expressed that after the daily purchase of several illegal tickets imposed on them, it is difficult to remit daily returns to the vehicle owners, feed, take care of their families, or maintain their vehicles.
They however called for speedy intervention by the State government, as the illegal taxation has lingered for so long.
Meanwhile, Police officers from Elimgbu and Elelenwo Police Division in Obio-Akpor local government area, were on ground to calm the situation.
The victim, however, is still in an unconscious state at an undisclosed hospital at the time of filing the report.
