By Samuel Ogude
Commercial tricycle operators, in their hundreds, over the weekend, staged a warning protest over alleged extortion by touts in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State just as they accused the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and the Udu Council Chairman of allegedly imposing outrageous levies on them to pay in the area.
The protest which was held at Jigbale Market saw tricycle operators block the road leading to Orhunwhorhun Community.
The protesters who carried placards with inscriptions such as, “Say No to illegal parking task force “,”Say No to Agbero task force wrong parking”, “Go to work” among others.
In a chat with newsmen, one of the commercial tricycle operators, Anthony Igbebe said, the protest is a warming to the Delta State Government to address the issues raised saying, failure which, they will block the Udu main bridge and deny every access through the area by Monday July 17.
He said:”By the time 10,000 workers are affected by Monday,Governor Sheriff Oborevwori will come here.”
Igbebe also appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to expand the road so that commercial tricycle operators, motorcycle operators and other road users can park very well to avoid the extortion on them.
Another Commercial tricycle operator, Azubuike Alu said they don’t want molestation by the touts any more. According to him, the Udu Council Chairman and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori are not fair to them with the alleged extortion on them.
Yet, another commercial tricycle operator who identified himself as John, said ,they came out in the protest because they heard that the Udu Council boss wants to ban Keke in the area.
Informed of the development, the Chairman, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights,CDHR, Delta State branch ,Comrade A. Peter Edariese swung into action and doused the tension to avoid hoodlums hijacking the situation to destroy people’s property as the case of banks that were burnt down in the wake of naira scarcity in the country.
Addressing protesters, Comrade Edariese, said they (protesters) should be law abiding and desist from the destruction of any property in the area. According to him, so long as they have rights to freedom of protests, they should be orderly in their protest as CDHR in support of their peaceful and warning protest.
Comrade Edariese said:”Don’t be disorderly and destructive” CDHR is behind your peaceful and warning protest”.