Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Compensation of N3 billion has been demanded against the police for brutality of tricycle riders and seizure of 150 tricycles in Delta State.
A witness, Comrade Godwin Ikolo yesterday pleaded with the Independent Investigation Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct SARS and other units of the Nigerian Police Force to order N3 billion compensation against the Police in favour of the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NCTMORA), Delta state chapter, following alleged brutality and seizures of over 150 tricycles and motorcycles belonging to the association.
Testifying before the panel, the witness alleged that a task force comprising some police officers, Delta State Ministry of Transport and the state Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) had at various times arrested, brutalised, detained their members for no justifiable reason.
According to the witness, who is also the National Public Relations Officer NCTMORA, the harassment and intimidation of their members by the Delta state task force led to the extra- judicial killing of Joseph Ovedje.
He also stated before the panel presided over by Dr. Garba Tetengi on behalf of the Chairman, Justice Suleiman Galadima (rtd) that the Delta state task force, working with the police and other agencies of government in the state, had impounded over 150 tricycles and motorcycles belonging to his association and had refused to release them till date.
He said that those vehicles have been vandalised and that they need to be compensated to replace them, noting that the cost of one tricycle is N1.2 million while one motorcycle is N530,000.
The witness, who is also the Chairman of the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association, Delta state informed the panel that his members have been maliciously prosecuted amid other alleged forms of human rights violations.
According to him, a similar association recognised by the state governments as the state-owned tricycle and motorcycle operators usually connive with the state task force to frustrate the operations of his own association in the state.
He further alleged that Delta State Ministry of Transport expects his association to collapse into the state transport body, which according to him is not acceptable since they are fully registered to operate in the state.
Counsel to the Complainants, D. Faroae, who led the witness in his testimonies, agreed with the panel that Godwin Ikolo testimonies are enough and therefore there might not be any reason to call more witnesses.
The panel adjourned the matter to 9th of March, 2022 for cross-examination of PW1 (Comrade Godwin Ikolo) and continuation of hearing.
