Commercial bus drivers in Makurdi metropolis of Benue State on Tuesday took over major roads in protest of an alleged increasing theft of their vehicles batteries by suspected cultists.
The protesters also alleged that touts impersonated as passengers regularly dispossessed them of daily proceeds at nights.
One of the drivers, Mohammed Jubril, said it had become difficult for them to do business in Makurdi as their lives had come under threats in recent times by the suspected cultists who usually harassed them to part with all their income generated for the day.
"As if collecting our monies was not enough, they also use to remove the batteries of our vehicles when parked at various lots after the day’s work," he said.
Another driver, David Peter, told our correspondent that he was wounded on his right arm and his bus windscreen shattered on Friday night when he dared to argue with one of such notorious character who accosted him and his conductor at the close of work for the day.
Peter said it had become traumatic for most of the drivers plying the North Bank-Wadata route as they were often being attacked by the "bad boys."
But, a concerned resident in North bank who feared his name mentioned on print told Daily Trust in Makurdi, that the scuffle was internal, alleging that some of the bus drivers and their conductors who are cultists have formed the habit of terrorising themselves with dangerous weapons.
According to the source, it was a battle of supremacy among drivers belonging to rival cult groups such that in the past two weeks, the contention had become so scary that they would put the lives of passengers who board township vehicles at risks.
The source further alleged that it was common to see those suspected cult drivers plying township routes come all the way to North bank to attack their colleagues of rival group plying the opposite direction while the later would also storm the former’s vicinity in retaliation.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moses Joel Yamu, confirmed the arrest of three suspects now undergoing investigation.
Yamu said the protesters alleged that some touts who disguised as passengers were in the habit of harassing the drivers and collecting their proceeds for the day.
"The police was not aware of the development because the victims don’t report the matter. But during their peaceful protest around the town today (Tuesday), they fingered three people which have been arrested for thorough investigation, " Yamu said.
The PPRO who advised that such matter be reported to appropriate security quarters, stressed that care would be taken in order not to victimized innocent persons as those arrested were not caught in the act or found with any weapon except that the protesting drivers accused them of involvements in the alleged crime.
