Commercial drivers protest naked in Rivers

It was a horrific and warlike scene in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Saturday when commercial drivers, conductors and sympathisers violently protested naked on major roads and streets.
They protested while confronting hoodlums at Rumueprikom, Port Harcourt hometown of Governor Nyesom Wike, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Trouble started around 12.20 p.m. on Friday at Whimpy Junction, along the ever-busy Ikwerre Road when a policeman on stop-and-search duty from the Kala Police Station, Rumueprikom shot and killed a bus driver, David Legbara, over N100 bribe.
The late Legbara, an Ogoni man from Uegewe-Boue in Tai LGA of Rivers state was the only son and the bread winner of his family, who recently got married, with the wife eight months pregnant.
The killing sparked off spontaneous protest from other commercial drivers, conductors and sympathisers, who saw the action of the policeman as unjustifiable.
The protest spilled to major highways, causing traffic dislocation and pains to members of the public.
Loading of intra-city and inter-state passengers was halted, as motorists, pedestrians, commuters groaning, trekking long distances and scampering to safety to avoid being hit by stray bullets.
Having briefly protested on Friday evening, the drivers, conductors and their sympathisers were fully mobilised Saturday morning and they headed for the notorious Rumueprikom on Ikwerre Road, just before Rumuokwuta Roundabout in Port Harcourt, with the intention of razing the Kala Divisional Police Headquarters.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kala police headquarters promptly mobilised the policemen from the station, who confronted the protesters, leading to violence and confusion, with bullets flying all over.
The roads and streets were quickly deserted, while commercial and economic activities came to a halt for some hours.
In spite of the gunshots and teargas from the policemen to disperse the angry protesters, they were undeterred and continued to march to the Kala police station.
Police reinforcement was immediately drafted to contain the situation which was later brought under control.
The aggrieved protesting drivers and conductors then decided to completely strip, walking on the Port Harcourt’s major roads stark naked, without any pant or underwear.
The unnamed killer policeman was promptly disarmed, arrested and detained, while the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, immediately ordered full-scale investigation into the circumstances and ramifications of the incident.
The killer cop is to be charged to court on conclusion of investigation.

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