*Says AIG Zone 9 has refused to release report of investigations on the matter
A businessman, Chief Emeka Diwe, has petitioned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris over the seizure of four trucks belonging to his company by the Deputy General Manager, Abia State Traffic and Indiscipline Management Agency, TIMASS, Mr. Bright Chinedu Ikokwu, in Aba.
The businessman who said he written several letters to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu without response, lamented that his four trucks and company bus have been in Mr. Ikokwu’s custody since January 18, 2017, as efforts made to recover them has proved futile, stressing that no official of the agency had written to his company stating the actual reasons the trucks were impounded and where they are being held.
According to him , the AIG zone 9 ,Umuahia, Hosea Karma, has refused to release the report fo the investigation based on the complaint the company filed at his office.
But in a swift reaction, Deputy General Manager of TMAAS, Mr. Bright Chinedu Ikokwu, said the impounded trucks contravened Abia State road traffic law number 2 of 2010, section 17, which empowers the traffic management agency to impound trucks obstructing traffic.
In the petition which was also copied to, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara; the National Human Rights Commission, as well as the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Chief Chikwendu Kalu; Diwe, who is the Managing Director of Unik D Limited, an agro marketing company, lamented that the continued seizure of his company trucks had caused much suffering to his company and employees and urged the governor and IG to investigate the activities of TMAAS in the state. He has been claiming to be a brother to the governor of Abia State.”
Alleging an attempt to run him out of business, Diwe , added that he has lost over N500 million stated that the TIMAAS DGM had on March 20, impounded another truck belonging to his company, and has been demanding N130,000 to release each of the seized vehicles, an action he said is contrary to Abia State Road Traffic Law 2010 which set up TIMAAS. The law that sets up TIMAAS stipulates fines ranging from N500, to N10, 000, for an offence. How come Bright Ikokwu is demanding N130,000 for the release of each truck? If the offender insists he didn’t commit any offence, the law state that he must be arraigned before a mobile court.
“TIMAAS operatives had on January 18, 2017, stormed my company premises at No.6 Eziukwu road and impounded three trucks while goods were being offloaded. There were other trucks parked in the area, but those belonging to UNIK D Limited were singled out and impounded. This is over 8 months now; Mr. Bright Chinedu Ikokwu has been calling me demanding N130, 000 to release each of the vehicles. Each of these trucks goes for N150, 000 per day; you can see the loss the company is suffering. On 20th March, 2017, along Aba-Owerri road, Mr. Bright Ikokwu, accosted our truck fully loaded with goods known as De-oiled cake(DOC), a highly perishable goods worth N18 million. It didn’t matter to him that the driver of the truck which had a flat tyre was busy fixing the tyre, but he towed away the truck with the goods to an unknown destination till date.
“Bright Chinedu Ikokwu threatened that by the time he finishes with Unik D, the company will run out of Aba in tatters and penury. I’m appealing to IG Ibrahim Idris, Hon. Dogara, Human Rights Commission and the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly to call Bright Ikokwu to order. He should be made to pay reparation to Unik D Limited for the illegal seizure of our trucks for over 8 months.A situation where he is allowed to use his position to continue to harass and intimidate us as well as impound and detain our company trucks without any cause clearly contravenes the law setting up TIMAAS.
“This is a company that has over 100 persons in its employ. He has threatened to impound any of our trucks seen on the road. Now, he is also making an attempt to secretly auction the trucks without giving us fair hearing. Bright Chinedu Ikokwu has been a terror to motorists in Aba. His action is against the efforts of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to attract investments to Abia.
“Even the AIG zone 9, Hosea Karma, has refused to release the report of the investigation he did on the matter for over three months now.”
He listed the company trucks impounded by TIMAAS to include; a 40 feet container truck with number plate, XD 597 UMA; Mack truck , XC 112 WER, with 40 feet container body and Scania truck with number plate,- XA 144 UMA, among others.