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Drivers of perishable goods under the umbrella of Truck and Bus Association of Nigeria, have blamed the increasing cost of food items on the activities of thugs who extort money, beat up drivers and seize their vehicles and goods along the federal highways in the South East zone.
The group who warned of a looming food crisis in the zone, stated that there are over 2000 checkpoints across the federal highways in the South East zone where touts collect over 20 different levies and taxes.
They stated that the levies paid by drivers are later passed on to the final consumers,leading to the skyrocketing prices of food materials in the market.
The protesting drivers who barricaded the road at Lokpanta Umunneochi LGA of Abia State along the Enugu – Port Harcourt expressway, lamented that they have lost over 5 drivers and 3 buses to the thugs who beat up drivers and destroy their vehicles over non payment of what it described as ‘illegal levies’ on the federal highways.
Chairman of the Association, Mr. Okezie Okeke, lamented that they have also spent over N500,000 in hospital bills for many drivers who were beaten up for refusing to pay what he described as the ”illegal levies’ charged by touts along the federal highways.
The chairman disclosed that they have petitioned the Inspector General of Police,Usman Alkali Baba, who ordered the AIGs of zone 9 ,Umuahia and Zone 13,Ukpo,to arrest of most of the thugs on the federal highways. He, however, stated the thugs returned to their wicked activities within few days if their release.
Enumerating the worst areas where thugs beat up drivers for refusing to pay illegal revenue to include; Lokpanta, Obollo Afor, Okigwe junction, Umuikaa junction, among others, Okeke called on the five governors and state Houses of Assembly to intervene in the matter to avoid food crisis in the South East.
He further called on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to direct the security agencies in the state to allow perishable good drivers access to the state at night hours as the police and soldiers are arresting drivers who convey goods to the state during the night hours.
According to him, “The South East zone may face soon face food crisis if the activities of illegal revenue thugs are not checked on all the federal highways in the zone. Truck and bus drivers conveying perishable goods from the North to the South East are daily beaten and their vehicles destroyed for refusing to pay over over 20 different levies being charged by these thugs. The activities of these touts who claim to be working for both state and federal government revenue collectors are the reasons behind the skyrocketing differences between the prices of perishable goods in the North and South-East.
“We convey perishable goods like Okra, tomatoes, vegetables, onions and other goods from the North. We don’t have problem within the North, but your problem begins as soon as you get to Obollo Afor in Enugu to other cities in the South East. The thugs will beat you and destroy your vehicle if you fail to pay the over 20 different levies they charge. We have paid over N500,000 in hospital bills for our drivers who were beaten by the touts.Three days ago, they beat up our driver at Amansea, the border between Anambra and Enugu states, he is still in hospital while his bus loaded with perishable goods is yet to be seen. We have lost over 5 drivers and 3 vehicles to them. At night, they also rob our drivers at these checkpoints. We will soon withdraw our services if the government fails to address the situation.
“Nobody has right to block the federal highways to beat up drivers and destroy their vehicles for refusing to pay illegal revenue which ends up in private pockets. The five South-East Governors of the zone should quickly stop the thugs and investigate who is empowering the thugs, as their activities are causing more hardship on the people of the South-East. The south East will soon face food crisis because we are considering withdrawing our services if nothing is quickly done to check the activities of touts.”