Heavy Duty Truck Driver Clashes With Haulage Tax operators at Nwezenyi junction

--Many Left Wounded

--Union Demands Justice

By Nwogha Ndubuisi Andy, Abakaliki

Tension was heightened at the early morning of Monday, 17 February,2020 at the popular Nwezenyi junction in Igbeagu, Izzi Local Government Area when some men identified as Haulage Tax Operators situated at the Junction Primary School allegedly attacked a heavy duty driver leaving him with severe matchet cuts.

Narrating the ugly incident, the Driver, Mr.Eze Nnabuife told us that he was on his way from Benue State to Port Harcourt, after over one month of his usual business trip when he was allegedly attacked by the tax operators.

According to him,it was around 1:00AM  when he was intercept by the Haulage Tax operators who demanded for a certain amount of money as settlement, a request he said,was unsual at that particular place seeing that they were not men of Nigeria Police Force who were seen not far from the point they blocked the Federal Highway, and that prompted his demand for explanation.

He said, the Haulage Tax operators dragged him out of steering and started beating him, before designing his body with matchet cuts.

The Heavy Duty Driver explained that on the process of struggling with the men, some of their members jumped into his vehicle and took away the sum of eight hundred and thirty thousand naira(#830,000), he made for the period of over one month they have spent on the way, phone, vehicle particulars and other valuables.

He, further, narrated that for the intervention of Police Men, he was rushed to the nearest hospital for treatment as his face was badly brutalized.

Speaking the National President Heavy Duty Truck Drivers Association, Mr. Ugochukwu Onojie, frowned on the attack of his member, pointing out that he was invited to the state with the plan of having meeting the next morning (the particular day, the incident took place) on how to stop multiple taxation levied against their members along the highway.

According to the National President, he was shocked when the affected Driver called him on phone to narrated his ordeal but he quickly instructed him to locate the nearest police station for aid, but was lucky to had been saved even when they vandalized his vehicle.

He explained that on arrival at the scene, they met a man who claimed to be in charge of the checking point, but he was unable to establish reason behind the vehicle vandalization but rather mobilized his men for a second attack that their private car was also vandalized before the arrival of Police men.

He lamented that Heavy Duty Truck Drivers are badly humiliated and intimidated along Benue, Cross River and Ebonyi State highway by men who claimed to had  contracted the job of Haulage Tax force against the Inspector General of Police directive of "Zero Highway Blockage".

The National President appealed to the State and Federal Government to intervened in their course as those who claimed to be working either as State Coordinator or other nomeclature have been blocking the highway extorting drivers.

On his part, the state Chapter Chairman,Heavy Duty Truck Drivers Association, Mr. Itumo Chidi, hinted that he came to the scene with his task force who sort for explanation from the Haulage Operators but they rather attack their official vehicle and made away with some other belongings.

The truck owner,Mr. Emeka Ani, who was also attacked with matchet, confided on us that he lost his bag containing foot wears and clothes when the tax operators attacked his private car that brought them to the place.

He commended the men of Nigeria Police Force Izzi Division who through their help saved the life of his driver, and urged Ebonyi state government to look into their plight.

However, Ebonyi State Police Public Relation Officer,  Loveth Odah, confirmed the report stating that the Haulage Tax operators acted against the directive of Federal Government which has it that no Haulage Operator should be found along the Federal highway.

DSP Odah, explained that the Haulage Operators have being identified as part of those causing accident in the process of collecting their money.

She explained that the Commissioner of Police had earlier this year invited principals of those identified to be on the highway and warned them against breaching the peace already existing in the state, and directed them to rather visit loading point of the vehicle to avoid breach of law and order.

She stressed that the Deputy Police Officer Izzi and Officer in Charge monitoring in the area have been giving matching order to ensure that those behind the act are arrested and brought to book if found guilty.