A tricyclist operator has been reportedly killed during a fight with a member of the revenue taskforce enforcing the daily N400 levy payment by Keke operators in Delta State.
The incident occurred on Tuesday in the ancient city of Sapele in Sapele local government area of the state.
Our correspondent learnt that the revenue collector had held the Keke rider by his neck during a fight and in the process reportedly slumped before been rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
The Keke operator simply identified as Augustine Williams was said to have been pronounced dead at the hospital on arrival.
Witnesses disclosed that trouble started when member of the revenue taskforce simply identified as Tunde but fondly called Osama attempted to seize tricycle operator’s key which resulted in a heated argument.
Our sources explained that the verbal argument later escalated into fisticuffs that later led to the death of the driver.
It was further gathered that the suspect made spirited efforts to resuscitate the late keke operator proved abortive.
“Struggle ensued when Osama attempted to remove the Keke key and Augustine held his hand. The situation escalated into a fight, during which Osama grabbed Augustine by the neck, causing him to collapse”, a witness told our reporter on Tuesday evening.
Lamenting the unfortunate incident, a commercial tricyclist, Ese Agbamitor noted that operators are constantly subjected to harassment and other forms of attack by the revenue taskforce members.
Sanusi Ahmed, another Keke rider, shared his experience of being forced to purchase multiple types of tickets, including the Arewa ticket, which they paid for monthly, leading to further exploitation.
In response to the incident, the tricycle and Okada riders on Tuesday evening held a meeting where they agreed to protest the killing of their colleague on Wednesday across the streets of Sapele.
It was gathered that the suspect has been arrested by the police in Sapele and was being held in detention.
Meanwhile, Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association (COMTOA), Sapele Chapter, has denied involvement in the killing of the victim.
A statement signed by the union’s ice chairman, Comrade Destiny Uhria, said the suspect involved in the killing of the Keke rider was not their member.
“The Association use this Medium to inform the General Public that the so called person is not a member of the Association neither a member of the Taskforce”, he stated.
The Vice Chairman said the incident happened at the time the forum was yet time to begin enforcing arrest defaulters.
Efforts to contact the spokesperson of the State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, on the incident were unsuccessful.
