Tipper drivers in Onitsha, Anambra State on Tuesday protested alleged extortion by agents of state government.
The protesting drivers blocked the expressway leading to and from Niger Bridge with their trucks, thereby causing heavy traffick gridlock for hours.
One of the protesters who identified himself as Ojo, said, “after loading sand into our tippers at Asaba, Delta State capital, we were levied #2,700 and on getting to Anambra, we were asked to pay #3,000 which we rejected.
“On the process, the revenue agents insisted that the #3000 must be paid.”
All efforts by military personnel stationed at the scene of the incident to dismantle the road block proved abortive as their pleas fell on deaf ears.
Reacting, an executive of the tipper drivers, Onodugo Onochie, lamented that they were being extorted in Anambra State when the roads from where they load the sand were dilapidated.
He said, “As a result of bad roads in Onitsha that damage our vehicles, we resolved to now load sand at Asaba, Delta State to save us from the damages to our vehicles.
“So this morning some of us who loaded at Asaba paid #2,700 they demanded from each tipper in a day and on getting to Onitsha end of the Niger bridge, precisely at Uga juction, adjacent to military checkpoint, some boys stopped us and demanded that we should pay before we leave.
“They said they distributed the documented information last year December and January and I told them that we were not aware of that.
“They said we should pay #3000 and I told them that personally what I have is #1000 and they said no and we have no other option than to block the road to end the saga once and for all.
“It is not that we don’t want to pay but we want to know how much to pay daily or weekly as the case may be and not each time a tipper passes they collect #3000 from the tipper driver.”
