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File photo: Petrol tankers
Some tanker drivers plying the Loko Oweto Bridge in Benue State have accused soldiers of conducting stop-and-search operations in the area of extortion.
They claimed that the soldiers suddenly increased their levy from N500 to N1 000.
Speaking with our correspondent, on Wednesday, one of the drivers who identified himself as Yusuf said that the increase led to a clash between the soldiers and the drivers on Tuesday.
He said the drivers moved in group and the soldiers insisted on each member paying N2,000.
According to him, they tried to stick to their usual payment of N500, but the soldiers rejected it.
Yusuf said this led to an altercation between them and the soldiers, adding that his colleague and his motor boy were injured during the incident.
Yusuf said, “It happened yesterday, we ply this road and the soldiers are always collecting money from us before allowing us access.
“It happened yesterday that instead of the usual N500 we give to them, they requested N2,000. We were in a group and they said they wanted N2,000 each from us. That money is much.
“We said we can’t pay that amount, we insisted on paying N500 but they refused to shift ground. This led to an argument. A driver and his motor boy were injured by the soldiers. They are in the hospital. I was beaten too, I sustained an injury on my head. ”
Another driver who did not want to be named said their protest against the incident on Tuesday obstructed vehicular movement on the highway.
He said, “The extortion is much. N2,000 is too much. Someone still told me he paid them N1,000 and pleaded with them before they allowed him to take that route. Our protest yesterday caused traffic in the area. Their authorities should investigate this”.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said troops went to the location to decongest the traffic that occurred as a result of the clash between the truck drivers and locals.
He noted that the troops never killed any person during the operation as being speculated.
Onyema said, ” Information reaching me indicates that troops received information of traffic gridlock occasioned by a conflict between truck drivers and locals, who inflicted damage on their trucks, while some drivers sustained injuries.
“This led to the barricading of the road by truck drivers and resulted in a tortuous traffic gridlock. Troops moved to the scene to prevent further escalation of the violence and successfully restored the flow of traffic on the road.
“Troops even went as far as consulting the traditional leader of the concerned community to prevail on the warring parties to restore normalcy. Troops did not kill anyone during the intervention to restore peace.”
