02 August 2013, Port Harcourt – Nigerian Union of Mine Workers, NUMW, has called on the governments of Rivers, Abia and Akwa Ibom states to stop youths, who pose as agents of the various state governments from harassing tipper and truck drivers on federal roads in the states.
NUMW in statement, noted that the activities of the touts are constituting serious threat and nuisance on the highways to trailer drivers, adding that government of the various states should intervene urgently to rid the highways of the touts.
The union said that the touts apply illegal means to compel tipper and truck drivers to part with various sums of money on the highway as taxes and levies, an act they said was against the law, adding that there were occasions when the touts pounced on drivers, beating them mercilessly in the extortion bid.
The statement by Mr. Uche Durueke, said that the various state governments should halt the lawlessness, adding that they should also discourage multiple taxations.
The group said: “The revenue agents block the highways to collect these monies and tipper and truck drivers are assaulted. Tippers and trucks are obstructed from continuing to their destinations. It is important to state that similar revenues are being collected from these tipper and truck drivers by revenue agents of local government areas in the states.”
– Jimitota Onoyume, Vanguard
