Tanker drivers have blocked the Benin-Asaba Expressway over the alleged shooting of one of their colleagues by a policeman.
Witnesses say the truckers decided to obstruct the highway on Thursday after a policeman shot one of them close to the Asaba tollgate area of the River Niger Bridge.
One witness told Peoples Gazette that the drivers were protesting against police intimidation and the alleged shooting of one of their colleagues by a police officer.
A tanker driver who spoke with The Gazette on Thursday narrated what transpired:
“On Tuesday, a tanker driver was driving on the speed lane along the Asaba-Benin Expressway toward the River Niger bridgehead, that is before the Asaba tollgate when a police convoy came and in an attempt to manoeuvre its way, the convoy overtook the tanker and a Hilux vehicle had crashed along the line. Then out of fear of being beaten and arrested, the tanker driver took to his heels and as he was running, one of the police officers in the convoy shot him in the leg.”
The roadblock near the popular Koka Junction along the expressway has left both motorists and commuters stranded since 6:00 a.m.
As of the time of filing this report, the Delta State police public relations officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, could not be reached for comments.
