Posted by The Delta State branch of NACTOMORAS, the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association, has accused competing groups and Delta State Police Command personnel of interfering with their legitimate transportation business operations.
Therefore, NACTOMORAS has made a direct appeal to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and President Bola Tinubu, pleading with them to intervene and put an end to the alleged intimidation and harassment of its members.
Goodwin Ikolo, National Public Relations Officer of NACTOMORAS, voiced concerns about police harassment and indiscriminate arrests of members during a nonviolent demonstration at Udu Road in Delta State.
He added that the National Human Rights Commission had suggested in 2022 that the police in Delta State stop harassing the association’s members.
The demonstrators brought up the death of one of their members in 2015, for which the panel also recommended paying the deceased member’s family N8 million, which has not yet been done.
Ikolo, who is also the chairman of the Delta State chapter, reported that the organization had suffered the direct loss of over 150 motorcycles and tricycles, valued at over N150 million, due to police activities.
“We are demonstrating against the Nigeria Police Force’s haughtiness in Delta State about matters concerning our business.
He declared, “We are law-abiding citizens who are members of a noble association that is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and we are aware that freedom of association is guaranteed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution.”
Ikolo said that NACTOMORAS operations were being obstructed by the Delta State Ministry of Transportation and a competing group, who were utilizing the police in addition to hired goons and touts.
“They harass, persecute, and detain our members throughout the state, impeding our commercial endeavors,” he declared.
He stated that on September 5 and 6, 2016, the Delta State Ministry of Transport stormed their headquarters in Udu, detaining members and seizing over 150 motorbikes and tricycles. The raid was conducted in conjunction with a team of four Hilux security operatives. It was officially declared by the Transport Commissioner at the time that arrests and seizures would not stop.
“At this point, we demand that the police refrain from interfering with our affairs and rigorously abide by the ruling and recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission, which was attended by all relevant parties. If not, we will organize a nationwide protest against police violence using our more than six million registered members, Ikolo said.
In addition to highlighting its legal registration with the CAC, NACTOMORAS made a plea to the federal and state governments to step in and secure the release of their bikes and tricycles, which have been detained by the police for an extended period of time.
“The owners of a large number of the seized cars were in financial hardship since they had been bought under hire purchase contracts.
When approached, SP Edafe Bright, a spokesman for the Delta State Police, stated that the police only acknowledge and interact with entities that have been approved by the Delta State Government.
According to him, NACTOMORAS is prohibited in Delta and the state government is unaware of it. He stated that the police are an institution that is responsible for defending the law and is not beholden to the Human Rights Commission.
He asserts that the NACTOMORAS leadership must take legal action to uphold their rights if they wish to conduct business in Delta.
Does the National Human Rights Commission function as the court or as the judiciary? We are not required to pay attention to them. Edafe said, “I simply want you to understand this: they are not the judiciary; if they have problems, they should go to court so the court can render a decision.