Enugu Tipper Drivers Lament Extortion, Intimidation by Govt Agents

 

Hundreds of tipper drivers under the aegis of Enugu Tipper Drivers and Owners Association (ETDOA) at the weekend took to the streets in Enugu to protest against illegal fees, extortion and intimidation of its members allegedly by agents of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in the state.

The drivers threatened legal action against the government should the situation persist, lamenting that the situation was beginning to take negative economic effect on them.

Counsel to the tipper drivers, P. Mokwe, who addressed journalists from a protest letter addressed to the South-east zonal director of the ministry which was copied the permanent secretary and security agencies in the state, said members of the association were being extorted N500 for each tipper carrying sands or stones.

Noting that the drivers were not the licenced site operators who should pay royalties to the ministry, he said it was surprising how drivers were subjected to such extortion by agents of the ministry in the state.

According to him, members of the association were initially charged N100 which was later increased to N500, a situation he said was stifling them economically as they also pay owners of the pits where they buy the sand.

He said: "Sometime in June 2019, our clients were besieged by some persons who identified themselves as revenue agents of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in Enugu demanding that forthwith every tipper or truck driver who purchases sand or stone from operators/owners of borrow pits must pay the sum of N500 per trip to the federal government''

“This illegal fee represents a 500 percent increment from the initial N100 which for many years had been exacted forcefully on the roads from our clients on each trip by the same agents of the ministry.  These agents use all manner of intimidation and assault in compelling our clients to part with their money.

"Our client had made several reports and inquiries from your office about the fiendish activities of these agents of the ministry.  However, the extortion has continued, and rather intensified, resulting in the repeated damage to the vehicles of our clients' members by these agents of the ministry."

The association appealed to the Zonal Mines Officer, Frederick Eniewa, to intervene in the matter and end the harassment and extortion in the interest of peace.

It warned that if the ministry does not put a stop to the unlawful activities of their agents, it would challenge the extortion in court.

When Eniewa was contacted on telephone, he said the ministry does not have agents who were collecting money on its behalf.

According to him, "The ministry doesn't collect money from drivers, only the licenced operators of pits pay royalty to the ministry."