From Yahaya Wakili, Potiskum
Keke NAPEP operators in Potiskum, one of the cosmopolitan towns in Yobe State, went on a peaceful demonstration over the arrest and detention of their members numbering 14 for violating the curfew hours imposed by the State Government.
However, the protest threatened to turn violent when the angry protesters attempted to forcefully take away their members from the Police cells.
Neptune Prime investigations revealed that the detainees were arrested by the army and handed over to the Police for prosecution in Court.
A security officer who spoke to us on the condition of anonymity revealed that “14 number of Keke NAPEP riders were arrested by the army for violating the State Government’s established law that restricts movement of the tricycles from 6:00pm to 6:00am daily.
The Protest Pictures
“We were in the process of dialogue with their leadership when we suddenly sighted the irate ones among them protesting on Mohammed Idrissa way, one of the major streets of the town, chanting slogans and throwing stones, while approaching the Divisional Police Office”. The source continued “the Police, Army and the Civil Defense Corp immediately rushed to the scene and dispersed them.
“They wanted to beat the officials of their Union but we did everything to diplomatically calm down the situation”, he concluded.
Chairman of Potiskum Local Government Area, Muhammad Musa Potiskum, who is also the Chief Security Officer of the local government, confirmed to our reporter that “Keke NAPEP riders are protesting the detention of their members who violated the established curfew hours restricting their movement from 6:00pm. I want to use this medium to appeal to them to exercise patience, we are watching the security situation, when things improve, we will review the time to a more convenient hour, we are currently putting heads together to calm down the situation “.
Chairman of the Keke NAPEP Riders Association in Potiskum, Sani Garba Maikifi explained that “our members were arrested for violating the curfew hours yesterday evening, this morning I and my executives were together with the Police to find a lasting solution when some bad elements amongst us began protest and blocked Kwanan Gadara, Potiskum Central Market, junction along Muhammad Idrissa Way but when we rushed to plead with them, they started beating me. I was rescued by the Police in plain clothes and kept at the police station for the safety of my life.”
“I want to use this medium to condemn what our members did, this law was established during the insurgency era when Keke NAPEP were used to attack innocent citizens; it was enforced for our own safety by the State Government, but we will seek it’s review whenever we are sure the security situation has improved.”
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Comment: they’re given bad status both chairman local government and keke napep, haven the same idea politically.
there cheating people, collecting our money doing not for us, and the military always are harassing our guys