Anambra Drivers, Bus Owners Protest In Onitsha Over Death Of Members
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Loading ...By Nedum Noble
No fewer than 100 drivers on Monday carried out a peaceful protest in Onitsha, Anambra State
over alleged killing of one of them by suspected armed robbers on military uniforms.
The protesters under the auspices of Luxury Bus Owners Association of Nigeria (LBOAN), blocked major cities in the commercial city of the state, were blocked in protest yesterday by members of
The deceased, our correspondent gathered, was a conductor of Ifeanyichukwu Motors along Benue/Nasarawa highway by suspected armed robbers in Army uniform.
The protesters, comprising of bus owners, drivers, conductors of luxury buses carried leaves and placards with different inscriptions which read, “Federal government should provide security for us on the highway, our business is about to close due to increase of attacks, stop killings of drivers, enough is enough, among others.
The National Taskforce Chairman of the Association Mr. Chigbo Emebo and its South-East counterpart Mr. Uchenna Maduako,
lamented incessant attack on their buses, wondering why the gunmen always attacked them on check points with police and Army uniform.
They warned that the body would bring vehicular movement and business activities to a halt by blocking the highway with their buses if the government failed to provide adequate security on the highways especially along Benue/Nasarawa axis after seven days.
“We have lost over 20 lives between 2018 and 2018, while over 50 persons had sustained various degrees of bullet wounds on the road,” they said.
“Within one week, we have witnessed three robbery attacks and the latest was on May 6 when the driver of Ifeanyichukwu motors was stopped at checkpoint and gunmen on Army uniform opened fire on them killing the Assistant driver (conductor) on the spot.
“We cannot afford to lose where we are feeding our families, we are providing job and employment to many people because there is no luxury bus company that doesn’t have about 200 workers and you know what it means to sack all these people.
“What will be their fate? We are also contributing to the revenue base of the country, we pay taxes and levies, we pay for our plate numbers and licenses, after aviation is luxury buses in terms of revenue and services, so government should provide adequate security on the highway,” they lamented.
The protesters also decried the activities of Customs officers on the high way who they accuse of always delaying their buses on the road for unnecessary check .
They urged the federal government and security agencies to beef up security along the highways to stop those armed robbers from using their uniform to rob buses on the road.
Others who spoke on the matter included the Manager of Ifeanyichukwu Motors Mr. Obinna Ihejirika, the South-East Regional Manager of The Young Shall Grow Motors Mr. Kenneth Obianodi, Chairman Luxury Bus Managers Association, Anambra state chapter Mr. Edwin Anierobi, Manager Chi-boy Motors Mr. Joseph Ajagu and Manger FG Onyenwe ,Aruna Ibrahim.
