ONITSHA — Commuters and motorists faced severe gridlock at the popular Zik’s Roundabout in Onitsha, Anambra State, after an aggrieved driver blocked the expressway following an alleged assault by operatives of the Anambra State Road Traffic Management Agency (ARTMA).
According to eyewitness accounts and reports from the scene, ARTMA personnel allegedly confronted the driver, engaged in a dangerous struggle over his steering wheel while the vehicle was in motion, and forcibly confiscated his money and mobile phone.
In protest against the seizure of his personal belongings and alleged high-handedness, the driver parked his vehicle across the busy expressway, refusing to clear the road until his mobile phone and money were returned.
Eyewitnesses reported that following the disruption and gathering crowd, the ARTMA operatives involved deserted the area. Other commercial vehicle and trailer drivers operating along the corridor threatened to join the protest in solidarity, compounding traffic congestion along the major commercial axis.
Residents and commuters traveling through the area faced extended delays, with many calling on the Anambra State Government and ARTMA leadership to investigate the conduct of its field officers and curb rising allegations of extortion and harassment against motorists across the state.
