Tricycle operators popularly called Keke in Enugu State are not happy with police officers.
The Keke operators have cried out over what they called “unfair policies”.
So, the issue is that the police in the state have banned the use of side taupaline by the Keke riders for over a year.
But with the rainy season at its peak, the Keke are riders are finding it increasingly difficult to comply with the ban.
They are now calling for help to get the police in the state to reverse its decision.
The police say its decision was informed by the use of Keke by armed robbers and sometimes kidnappers in the state to carry out heinous actions.
Also Read: ‘Keke Napep’ Operators Protest Extortion, Harassment
“The police people stopped us from using the tarpaulin because they said they caught some boys that kidnapped a little baby using keke” said one of the Keke operators, who spoke with Bounce correspondent in Enugu.
When our correspondent reached out to the Chairman of one of the many Tricycle parks in the state, the Chairman said, “what the police did was simply an act of intimidation because they believe we are just common people”.
“We were just told that because some people were caught using Keke to commit crime with the aid of Keke Side tarpaulin which covers the people inside the Keke we should stop using the tarpaulin.
“This is purely an act of intimidation because the police feel we are nobody in the society. Have they told car owners to remove their door glasses because cars are used for armed robbery too?” the Chairman lamented.
Some Tricycle operators that also spoke with our correspondent.
“How can I be happy over this when it’s not good for my business? This is rainy season and because of no side tarpaulin, whenever it’s raining, I stop working until the rain stops” one of the operators Mr Chukwudi that plies the IMT phase six route said.
Another operator, Amalu Jude who said the policy is very bad wants the government to reverse this policy.
“How will you feel if you are me and you are forced to stop work because of rain? Many times, when it rained for the whole day, I go back to my family without making any money. Please our Governor needs to help us in this matter,” he said.
Another operator narrated how he got into a trouble with one of his passengers who blamed him for not having the tarpaulin.
“Oga, honestly I don’t like talking about this thing because of what it reminds me,” he started.
“There was a day I carried a young man from Nowas. His destination was Kenyatta. We got to HRC school in Zik Avenue and it started raining.
“The man asked me to put the tarpaulin, so the rain doesn’t touch him as he was going for a wedding, I told him that we don’t put it again because of police people.
“He got very angry and started shouting at me that if the rain should touch him and stain his cloth, that he will deal with me and won’t pay me too.
“When we got to the place, rain had stained his cloth and he called two of his friends and ordered them to beat me up and collect the money he will use to send the cloth to laundry from me.
“It was like a movie to me, but I started begging them because it was raining, and I was telling them that it’s not my fault, they ended up collecting one thousand Naira from me,” he lamented.
