“The policemen have been disturbing the peace of okada riders on this road for long. They also collect money from us and the taxi drivers. We are their Automated Teller Machines. This cannot continue. They may kill some of us but this will not continue
Some commercial motorcyclists, angered by police officers’ extortion and brutality against civilians, attacked Zuba police post in Niger state, setting it ablaze. The irate motorcyclists also burnt patrol vehicles.
The motorcyclists were reported to have launched the attack after a team of police personnel brutalized a motorcyclist who was unwilling to part with cash to bribe the officers.
The incident, which happened between 8am and 10am on Thursday, crippled commercial and business activities in the area. Normalcy was restored to the area when police reinforcements team arrived and brought the situation under control.
One of the motorcyclists who spoke to the Punch newspaper lamented the daily extortion by the Police.
He said, “The policemen have been disturbing the peace of okada riders on this road for long. They also collect money from us and the taxi drivers.
“We are their Automated Teller Machines. This cannot continue. They may kill some of us but this will not continue.”
Confirming the attack on the Police post, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, FCT Police Public Relations Officer, said the Police would conduct an investigation to arrest those involved in the attack.
Manzah said, “The miscreants attacked police personnel on their legitimate duties and set observation posts belonging to the police and the FRSC on fire as a result of which four vehicles parked within the premises were also burnt.
“The command would carry out discreet investigation that will lead to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the act.”
Bala Ciroma, FCT Commissioner of Police, visited the scene in company of some senior police officers, visited the scene to assess the situation and ensure normalcy was restored to the area.
