Somtochukwu

Amid nationwide #ENDSARS protests, angry tanker drivers in Adamawa on Sunday shutdown Yola-Jalingo highway to protest alleged police brutality against a tanker driver near Mayo Belwa town.

Major Nigerian towns are currently facing fierce protests by youths under the banner of #EndSARS to protest police brutality and bad governance.

Officials of the Petrol Tanker Drivers union said the situation, which grounded commercial activities, is regrettable.

An eyewitness, Muhammad Ali, said that the incident occurred when police officers from Karewa area command in Yola accosted a tanker driver who was transferring fuel from his reserve tank to the main tank and demanded a bribe.
“A tanker driver whose fuel got exhausted was trying to transfer fuel to the main tank from his reservoir.

” Some policemen from Karewa area command who are notorious for extorting motorists accosted the tanker driver and demanded bribe from him.

“When he failed to heed to their demand, they descended on him, beat him up to stupor and even tore his clothes. The people have to swoop on the policemen, rescue the hapless man and rushed him to hospital,” Mr Ali said.

Another eye witness Sale Baba, an official of the tanker drivers, said that “we are tired of the atrocities being perpetrated by the police. That is why this time they shut down the highway to demand justice for one of them who was brutalized for committing no crime.

” The situation is now causing serious tension as commuters plying the highway have become stranded for hours.

“The authorities should take stiffer action to ensure that such policemen are brought to justice as they constitute a threat to peace and security,” Mr Zaiti said.

Reacting, the police spokesman in the state, Sulaiman Nguroje, said he was intimated about the development and the commissioner of police had deployed a team to ascertain the situation.

“I have heard about the commotion and commissioner had since deployed a team to investigate.

” We will surely take the proper action. If the police are found wanton in this regard, Adamawa police command will not hesitate to mete out punishment to them.
“He ordered that the alleged police officers be arrested,” he said.

The police command, earlier this year, dismissed one of its men for allegedly killing a motorcycle rider in Maiha local government area if the state.

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