Apo killings: Okada/Keke NAPEP operators vow to shut Abuja – Gives FG 7-day ultimatum National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owner’s and Riders Association of Nigeria (NATOMORAS) yesterday threatened to ground the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over the recent killing of nine persons in Apo by security agents, saying that eight of them were its members. To avert this, it said, it gave federal government seven days ultimatum to set up commission of inquiry over the case. NATOMORAS, which is speaking for the first time since the incident happened last Friday, made this threat in Abuja during a one-day seminar on the challenges of tricycle and Okada operators in FCT. NATOMORAS FCT Chairman, Alhaji Usman Buba Gwoza, alleged that his colleagues were murdered without a just course, but however added that the association appreciated the support of Nigerians, the Senate and Human Right Commission. “We call on the federal government to immediately set up a commission of inquiry, to unravel the mystery behind this inhuman act,” Gwoza said. “Killing of innocent and armless citizens of our great nation should not be tolerated by caring and loving government. ‘We shall immediately be embarking on protest throughout the entire FCT, if this is not met within seven days.” Gwoza said that eight years after the banning of commercial motorcycle in the capital territory, FCT administration has refused to fulfill its promise to provide tricycle as an alternative to those affected during the ban. He disclosed that the association has over 15,000 tricycle and 80,000 Okada operators in FCT, adding that 20,000 motorcycles of its members had been impounded since the ban. The Senate Committee Chairman on MDGs, Senator Ali Ndume, appealed to the association to shelve its proposed protest until the Senate looks into the killing, but however warned that the fight against terrorism should not be an excuse to take innocent lives. Ndume said that there is no law in the country banning the operation of Okada, adding that he does “not know why government should wake up and ban Okada in FCT”.
Posted on: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 23:02:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015