By Lola Idahosa, Kaduna
Tanker drivers in Kaduna blocked the dual lanes of Kaduna-Zaria roads over shooting of one of their members by a soldiers at a military check point.
The tanker drivers protested for over 30 hours not only because of the shooting of their members, who is currently at hospital receiving treatment, but also frequent extortions by the soldiers at Dankande checkpoint.
Haruna Labo, an eyewitness, who is a tanker driver told journalists that the decision to block the roads from about 10pm yesterday was in protest over the illegal extortion by the soldiers at the Dankande toll gate .
Our reporter gathered from residents within Dankande village that the soldiers who allegedly shot the tanker driver might have demanded for bribe and after the driver refused, they became angry and shot at him.
” The extortion here is almost on a daily basis and must be stopped” an eyewitness said.
Narrating how the incident happened , another tanker driver disclosed that the shot victim was stopped for routine check and he complied and even gave the two hundred naira bribe allegedly demanded by the soldiers.
However, he said the tanker driver gave five hundred naira to the soldier to collect three hundred naira , but the soldier failed to give change to the driver who insisted he must be given his change.
It was learnt that after insisting, the soldier shot him in the leg. It was after the shooting that other tankers on road joined their colleague in protest of what they described ” Injustice” meted out on the innocent driver.
Attempts by the GOC, One Mechanised Infantry Division to prevail over the drivers to open the roads from Sunday till this afternoon was abortive until the Deputy Governor and Kaduna Police Commissioner intervened . Even at that, they were insisting the soldier must be arrested and prosecuted.
Though Samuel Aruwan , El-rufais’ Special Assistant on media and publicity told our reporters that the matter would be resolved as soon as possible.
As at 5.15pm when this report is filed , the traffic gridlock has expanded to almost ten kilometers.
