The Rivers State Government has set October 31 as the deadline for commercial vehicle operators to paint their vehicles in approved state colours to curb rising cases of one-chance robbery.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Vera Sam-Dike, announced the timeline during a Thursday stakeholders’ meeting with transport unions focused on safety, compliance, and operational standards.
Enforcement will commence strictly on November 1st, a move intended to streamline vehicle identification and eliminate criminal activities disguised as commercial transit.
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Unions had previously appealed for a January 1st extension, citing prevailing economic hardship and the rainy season as barriers to quick compliance. In response, the state government compromised by extending its original September target to the end of October.
National Union of Road Transport Workers State Chairman Boma Tom-George confirmed that operators are fully aligned with the directive. The policy intervention follows a surge in one-chance robberies across the state, where criminals posing as legitimate drivers lure unsuspecting passengers into unmarked vehicles to rob them of valuables.
