Imo: Truck Drivers Block Roads to Protest Alleged Harassment and Extortion by Government Taskforce

On Thursday, traffic in Owerri, the Imo State capital, came to a standstill as truck drivers blocked major roads, including the Owerri/Port Harcourt road and Owerri/Onitsha road, to protest what they described as persistent harassment and extortion by the state’s taskforce on illegal parks.

The protest, organized by the Trailer Drivers Association, was sparked by the impounding of several trucks by the taskforce led by Frank Onwumere, Special Adviser to the Governor on Illegal Parks. According to the drivers, some of their vehicles have been held for four months without a valid reason.

Speaking during the protest, Monday Ossai, a leader in the Trailer Drivers Association operating from Oneh Seaport, Rivers State, said the roadblocks were intended to draw the government’s attention to their plight. He accused Onwumere and his team of tarnishing the governor’s image by demanding N250,000 for the release of the impounded vehicles and requiring a roadworthiness clearance.

“Truck drivers are very depressed as Hon. Frank Onwumere and his boys do not allow us to operate freely on the road in Imo State, day and night. Regrettably, the mistreatment that badly affected us was the seizure, impounding of our members’ vehicles by Onwumere and his team for four months, including the demand of N250,000 with clearance paper of road worthiness of our vehicles,” Ossai stated.

He urged the governor to replace Onwumere with someone more humane to prevent further damage to the administration’s reputation. The truck drivers also called for urgent repairs to the Port Harcourt Expressway and other deteriorated roads in the state.

Another truck driver, Aliyu Haruna, expressed frustration, noting that they face no issues in other states, but encounter constant problems on Imo roads, especially due to nighttime roadblocks set up by the military at Obinze.

Responding to the drivers’ grievances, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, visited the scene and ordered the immediate release of all impounded vehicles. He assured the drivers that the alleged harassment and extortion by Onwumere would be thoroughly investigated and that necessary repairs to damaged trailer parts would be made.

In his defense, Onwumere claimed that his actions were in line with directives from Governor Hope Uzodimma. He stated that his responsibility as Special Adviser on Illegal Parks was to ensure roads were free from illegal obstructions to maintain smooth traffic flow and public safety. He argued that similar regulations exist in other states, like Abuja and Lagos, and criticized the truck drivers for consistently flouting traffic orders, including the prohibition against daytime travel on Imo roads.

Onwumere also noted that his team has been instrumental in combating crime, particularly by preventing armed robberies involving vehicles on the roads, and stressed that those opposing his efforts were attempting to undermine the achievements of his office.