Abuja taxi drivers protest task force extortion

Taxi drivers in Abuja on Friday staged a protested march against alleged intimidation and harassment by V.I.O, Road Safety and Civil Defense.

The drivers in their large numbers marched between Berger and Wuse Market, hindering traffic and movement of cars.

They cried to President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to stop task force from alleged extortion, criminally impounding their vehicles, arresting and using electric shock to torture them.

David Edo, one of the executive members of the drivers’ union, said despite several dialogue between them, the joint task force and F.C.T administration, nothing has been done to stop their ordeal.

“They always impose exorbitant fines us, they say we must paint our cars green yet they still collect N25, 000 from painted vehicles and N35,000 from unpainted ones.

“They will arrest and tow your taxi if you don’t pay up. They will even beat you up and when you pay, they will still come back next two weeks demanding for more money. For a year you are spending up to N200, 000 paying fines. It is not fair, they see us as ATM machines where they can withdraw money at will,” Edo cried.

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