Commercial drivers in Calabar, Cross River State capital, withdrew their vehicles from the roads to protest the activities of touts purportedly hired by Calabar South local government council.
They are also protesting illegal’ levies allegedly imposed on them by the council officials.
A taxi driver, Mr. Etim Essien, told Nigerian Pilot that officials of the council have made driving in the city a nightmare.
He said ‘‘Calabar South local government now recruits thugs that have taken over virtually almost all the major roads in the area.’’
Mr. Essien disclosed that several appeals made to the council chairman to curtail the activities have not been hided, hence our resolve to withdraw our vehicles from the road.’’
Another taxi driver, Mr. Usen Akpan also told this newspaper that the council officials now see taxi driving as a ‘gold mine’ they should exploit.
According to him, ‘‘they extort money from us daily. Before now we were buying tickets for N100 daily, but they have now increased it to N300.’’
He said they will not return to business until the council officials are called to order and their touts withdrawn from the roads.
Mr. Akpan urged the state government to urgently wade into the matter and save them from further embarrassment in the hands of the local government officials and their touts.
The chairperson of the local government, Mrs. Majorie Asuquo, could not be reached for comments as she was said to be in a ‘crucial’ meeting.
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