Video: Achaba riders protest member’s allege death over N50 ticket in Gombe
By Chima Azubuike
Some Gombe State Commercial Motorcycle operators popularly called Achaba’ riders have protested over an alleged death of a rider for failure to get N50 daily ticketing.
Ticket is usually issued to members on the move, upon payment by some union officials as a means of generating revenue, while defaulting members would have their motorcycles impounded.
The group on Saturday, smashed the window of it union, for concealing the incident before proceeding to the Emir of Gombe, Alh. Shehu Abubakar III to lodge their complaints.
A protester, who identified himself as Abdullahi Bongos, while narrating their ordeal said the protest was following Friday incident where a bike rider, was beaten for failing to get ticket.
Bongos said, “A commercial bike operator was beaten to the point he fell off to the ground. They thought he was pretending before he was finally rushed to hospital for treatment when they realised how serious it was. This happened around cross, close to Gombe park.
“We heard he passed on hours later in Specialist Hospital and now they are telling us that he has been discharged, without allowing us to see him. The police and the union are covering things up.”
When contacted the Public Relations Officer, Gombe Police Command, SP Mary Malum, debunked insinuations that the rider passed on, shortly after he was taken to the hospital.
She noted that those selling ticket have been asked to suspend sales until Tuesday meeting.
According to Malum,” I’m aware of the protest but the victim didn’t die. The group will be meeting with the Chairman of Gombe Local Government on Tuesday and those ticketing on the road have been asked to leave till Tuesday.”
Also speaking, Ibrahim Manu, Chairman, Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), condemned the destruction at the secretariat, where the protesters pelted stones, adding that the involved rider is alive.
Manu stressed that the protesters were mischief makers, “They are not indigenes of the state and they are not in support of Gombe state government so the reason for saying that one of them was killed.
“They are not registered members and they have political ambition, they claimed that police extorts them but they didn’t report to any of our branches. They are not speaking the truth because the victim is alive, he has been released,” Manu added.
