There was pandemonium in the Ada George area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday when a group of policemen stripped a bus driver, identified as Emenike, over alleged refusal to pay a bribe. The drivers in the area were said to have repeatedly lamented harassment by the task force and police officers, even as they protested against Monday’s harassment of Emenike.
Drivers’ welfare Chairman, Choba unit, Bestman Chile, said a policeman demanded bribe from the driver, but the latter defused to part with any money. “He entered Emenike’s vehicle and told him to drive towards the police. “On his way, the policeman started hitting him with a baton and fought for the control of the steering with the young man. “After the driver stopped the vehicle, some policemen came and started beating Emenike, stripped him naked and vandalised his vehicle. “We are drivers. We can’t fight the police. Right now, the road is blocked. We will block the road like this till when the police come to pay for this damage and treat the young man,” he told Punch newspaper. Following the blockage mounted by the driver to protest the alleged police harassment, there was gridlock, as passengers were seen trekking long distances to get to their destinations. Meanwhile, some bus drivers accused a female cop whom they identified as ‘Mama G’ of continually harassing and extorting bus drivers. When contacted, a spokesman for the state Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident but added that he had yet to get the details.
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