Bus drivers protest in Ilorin, attack journalist

No fewer than 1,000 bus drivers staged a protest march through the streets of Ilorin on Monday over the arrest of one their members by the Kwara State Road and Traffic Management Agency.

The driver was said to have been arrested by the officials of KWARTMA for allegedly flouting traffic regulations.

He was said to have contacted his colleagues who mobilised to resist his arrest and the impounding of his vehicle by KWARTMA.

The protesters barricaded and blocked motorists from accessing the Post Office junction and the Stella-Obasanjo/Olaolu Hospital end of the Ilorin-Ofa Road.

They later took their protest to the KWARTMA headquarters before the situation, which lasted for more than hour, was brought under control by security officials and drivers’ union leaders.

However, some of the protesters attacked a reporter from one of the local media, who was covering the protest. The name of the journalist could not be ascertained as of the time of filing the report.

The Chief Executive Officer, KWARTMA, Mr. Yekini Bello, said the officials of the agency only arrested a driver who flouted traffic regulations.

Bello claimed the drivers only reacted to the rumour that many bus drivers had been arrested by KWARTMA officials in the state capital.

He said the agency was out to enforce traffic rules compliance after enlightenment and grace period, adding that some of the drivers used rickety vehicles.

He stated that the agency, based on the request of the union leaders, gave bus drivers two months to work on their vehicles.

The traffic agency chief said, “I was told that the city was messed up and that the drivers barricaded the Post Office junction. They said our men arrested one of their members for obstruction and in the course of the argument, that one of them drew the attention of his colleagues who quickly spread the rumour that we had arrested another six drivers.

“That was what caused the commotion. But we only arrested one driver.”

Efforts by our correspondent to speak with the drivers’ union members failed as they declined to comment on the issue.