Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
The killing of a taxi driver, Simeon Ihearulam, three days ago by men of the Rivers State Taskforce on Street Trading and Illegal Motor Parks, is still generating condemnations from well-meaning individuals, organisations, civil society organizations, political parties, and human rights groups.
The latest condemnation is coming from the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which, on Tuesday, described the act as despicable and demanding for the immediate disbandment of the task force, arrest, and prosecution of all the officers involved in the incident.
Interestingly, the APC, which is the main opposition party in Rivers State, and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state have been engaged in a ferocious trade of words in recent days, with their respective leaders – former governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and incumbent governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike – battling hard to run down each other and woo more support for their respective political parties and candidates ahead of the governorship and state assembly election of Saturday, March 18, 2023.
Bemoaning what it described as the vicious activities of the Rivers Taskforce on Street Trading and Illegal Motor Parks, the APC, through its spokesman, Darlington Nwauju, told Journalists on Tuesday:
“We believe that the act is shameful; that the man who left his wife and five children at home for his lawful business will meet his untimely death in the hands of a vicious taskforce that has a terrible history of the destruction of goods and properties, maiming and even killing, in this instance, of innocent road users.”
The APC expressed shock that the Rivers State government has remained silent over the ugly incident since it happened, describing it as sad.
“That the state government has kept quiet 24 hours after the death of Mr Simeon Ihearulam is a sad commentary,” the APC said.
While calling for the apprehension and prosecution of the culprits, the party urged the state government to compensate the wife of the murdered taxi driver and also give scholarships to his children.
“We call on security agencies to arrest and prosecute those behind this despicable act. We demand that this taskforce on street trading and illegal motor parks be disbanded forthwith.
“And finally, that adequate compensation be paid the widow of Mr Simeon Ihearulam, including scholarships for her five children,” the APC spokesman said.
He said the party would not encourage the enforcement of any government policy with agents that are neither trained nor monitored.
“As a political party, the APC places maximum premium on the sanctity of human lives and we shall not encourage the use of unregulated and untrained agents in the enforcement of any government policy,” he said
