Operators of commercial tricycles popularly known as ‘Keke Napep’, in Delta State have cried out over alleged extortion by their various park Chairmen who milk them on daily basis.
They lamented that these Chairmen allegedly connivance with the police to extort them to the tone of N4,000 each day.
This they said is aside daily payments made to Agberos including the State government’s daily N300 ticket.
Some of the operators, who spoke with The Story, lamented that most times they are only interested in how much they would take home without prioritizing their welfare.
They said when you challenge the Chairmen over what they take home, they unleash the police and other security operatives on them.
Several tricycle operators plying Ibusa/Koka Junction in Oshimili south local government area of the State alleged that they have been turned into Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) and what they described as ‘ritual money’ over trumped-up charges.
The operators alleged that the extortion, which was being perpetrated on daily basis, is between Mondays till Saturdays.
They also lamented that sometimes their tricycles are impound for hours depending on when they are able to raise the amount demanded from them.
They alleged that the Chairmen stationed at Koka and Ibusa Junctions, collects nothing less than N2, 000 each, totaling N4, 000 everyday.
According to them, whether one comes out or not, he is made to cough out that sum whenever he resumes work.
Aside the whooping sum which they termed as “settlement” for the day, other sets of Agberos take N50.00 per load on every trip they embark on, stressing that those at the popular Ogbegonogo Market are worst still.
At press time, text message sent to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Edafe Bright, to clear the air on the connivance allegation levelled on the police was not answered.
