Tippers drivers protest illegal detention, block magistrate, others from going home

AWKA, Anambra, Nigeria – Tipper Drivers Association(Anambra State) on Thursday blocked road leading to the State Magistrate, Customary courts and Examination Registration centre at Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra state, stopping the judges of both the  magistrate  and customary  from going out of their offices at the close of work.

The blockage, according to drivers  is to protest the detention of  their  president ,Chief Davison  Ebuka and  four  chairmen  for standing against the payment  of government  levies.

The tipper drivers  alleged that the state government was charging  them N1400  for 12 cubic ft of  tipper sand  and N700 for 6 cubic ft per a trip, which they described as high and obnoxious. According to deputy president of the Association, C.C. Udenwa Ezekwesili the imposition of N1,400 and N700 taxation on them by state government was unacceptable.

“We did not say we are not going to pay but we cannot pay such amount after we paid  to the federal government. Above we had obtained a court judgement in our favour at the federal high court Awka,which no court has vacated. We don’t know why the government is harassing us by using police and court to detain our members” he lamented

According to him, in the last four days, they have been occupying the court premises, urging the magistrate to release their president who has been detained by the order of the magistrate in the last ten days.

“We met  the bail condition and our chairman was released, few minutes into his release  he was rearrested and we don’t know why” he said. He called for release of their leader and members who have been in detention for about ten days now. The deputy president  also appealed to the  governor to  quickly intervene in the crisis since they cannot pay the much they  are asking.

Speaking at the event, the coordinator of Recover Nigeria Programme, Mr. Osita Obi urged Governor Willie Obiano to quickly intervene and resolve the issue because the government cannot afford to push these crowd here into the labour market.

According to  him, before this administration, government was charging N100 per tipper every day but sadly now, this government is charging N1,400 and N700 per trip in the name revenue drive. According to him, if these number of people are frustrated out from their legitimate business, and they take to crime , government will spend much to battle them.

He appealed to the governor to do the needful to save the situation from degenerating further and save these people from hardship. Meanwhile, the Magistrate of  Court 1, S.N. Anyaegbunem who gave the detention order,  has to be forced to address the agreiveved tipper drivers. She  assured them that their leaders would be set free once they met their bail condition.

She also stated that in her order they were bared from protest and blocking roads and an order she said has  been violated.The magistrate was taken away by the police  shortly after addressing the crowd numbering 300 at about 4.pm.