Keke riders protest against Police harrassment, extortion, storm Revenue office in Warri

Commercial tricycle operators Wednesday staged a peaceful protest to the head office of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, DBIR in Warri over alleged Police harrassment, extortion and illegal arrest as they demanded why their plate numbers are not captured in the system of the DBIR's system.

The protesters blocked part of the busy Airport road as they chanted solidarity songs. 

The protesters also beared placards with inscriptions such as, "License Office, tell us why our plate numbers are not registered in your system" "Police are harassing us", "Government provide us jobs please", "Police leave Keke riders alone" and "License Office, what happened to our plate numbers" amongst others. 

The protesters said that Police in Warri and its environ are troubling them with illegal arrest and extortion of ten thousand naira (N10,000) on a daily basis. 

They warned that if the matter is not handled amicably by the relevant government agencies, it could snowballed into crisis. 

One of the Commercial tricycle operator who claimed to be Eyekpimi said if the Police are looking for illegal officers they should go and arrest those working at DBIR's office. 

He said they should not come to road and illegally arrest Keke riders who are only fending for themselves and families. 

He noted that the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori may not be aware of the development in Warri, just as he drew his (Governor's) saying, "Police in Warri are worrying us. Area Command, Ekpan,"B" Division and all of them."

Eyekpimi said their number plate have been duly registered by licensing office and wondered why police should trouble them that it is not in the system. 

"Our plate numbers are validly registered, that is why we have it, how do we get number plates that are not registered by the government.? 

According to him, "Do we have machines to print illegal plate numbers? If Police are looking for illegal officers wey dey do number plates, they should go and arrest them in licensing office. Nor be road them go come arrest us." He queried. 

He said they were out to put an end to the alleged illegal harrassment arrest and daily extortion of ten thousand naira (N10,000) by the Policemen in Warri and environ. 

Another tricycle operator, Jeffery Awhe Akioja said "the Police are troubling us. they mount road blocks to collect illegal develooment fees which we pay on the road daily. 

"They will stop us and say our plate number is illegal and not on the system, this is the latest incident in Warri and environ. 

"They came with basket/waste bin, we conquered that one. They came with tapouline and that we should not use use black to paint our Keke, we conquered that one."

"As we manage to balance the Keke we carried on hire purchase for between 8-9million naira. We are still managing it because, there's no job in the Country and State." He cried out. 

Akioja added further, "There is so much insecurity in the Country and the Police could not see that the Kidnapping and criminality is on the rise, there is terrorism banditry, farmers not going to farm again, people are being killed everyday and to address it. Instead, Keke is their problem. If they hold your Keke, you will pay N10,000. If you don't have it, they arrest you to the Police station whereas, it is the State Government that registers plate numbers for us and we ourselves.

"Today, we decided to protest to licensing office because of Police harrassment, illegal arrest and extortion. "B" Division don't want to allow us rest. Mopol base, Ogunu, Enerhen, all of them. Enough is enough." He stated. 

Another protester, Wisdom Omote also bared his mind just as he aligned himself with the other speakers 

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of Police, Omote said, "Police from Enerhen Division held me, they checked my particulars and it was correct, they said paper nor dey for number plate."

"if they're looking for who committed offence, it is not we riders that committed offence. They should go and arrest them there in licensing office." He stated. 

Efforts to get comments from SP Bright Edafe, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer was abortive at the time of filing the report.