The Niger State police command has met with officials of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to shelve the ongoing protest over alleged insecurity. 

The drivers were protesting the incessant kidnappings of drivers and passengers on the Mokwa-New Bussa road. 

The police spokesperson in the state, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this on Sunday in Minna.

He said the police had already met with the aggrieved drivers, who assured them that the roads would soon be reopened for movement. 

According to Abiodun, the Mokwa Divisional Police Officer and other stakeholders in the area initiated a dialogue with the union leadership. 

“The union members agreed and gave assurance that the road will be reopened immediately for motorists and other users of the road. 

“The DPO assured the transporters that the Police, military and vigilante members were working closely in a series of joint clearance operations in the affected areas to address the security challenges,” he said.

 Alhaji Muhammed Shaba, an elder in Mokwa, decried the spate of kidnapping of motorists along the axis, adding that relevant authorities need to take urgent measures to tackle it. 

“They are protesting because our people are in the forest. As we speak, about seven or eight drivers, including their passengers, are in the hands of kidnappers in the forest.

“Sincerely speaking, this is happening almost on a daily basis along that axis, and all our efforts so far have not yielded any positive results,” he added. 

Also speaking, Aishat Saadu, the sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Niger Command, noted that the New-Bussa chapter of the union started their own blockade on Saturday due to the same reason. 

“So, that of Mokwa just started their own today. I understand it’s causing serious gridlock along those axis. So, what is happening over there is beyond only the Corps,” he said. 

Commercial drivers blocked the Mokwa to New-Bussa and Mokwa to Bida to Ilorin roads to protest alleged kidnapping of their colleagues by suspected bandits.

The protest, which started on Friday, caused heavy gridlock along the Mokwa to Bida road as commuters were stranded. 

One of the protesting drivers, Aliyu Hassan, said the road had reopened following a meeting between the police, FRSC, and other stakeholders. 

“The road has been reopened for movement. We embarked on the protest because for the past one month, bandits have been blocking the Mokwa-New Bussa Road every day, killing drivers and passengers and abducting some. 

“Some drivers are currently being hospitalised due to gunshot injuries from bandits. The protest was to call on authorities to take action,” he said.

(NAN)