There was chaos at Creek road leading into Apapa port in Lagos yesterday as truck drivers temporarily stopped work in protest against alleged extortion by Police officers and other security agencies posted to the area to control traffic.
Eye witnesses confirmed to Shipping Position Daily that one truck driver sustained a head injury as police officers fired gun shots sporadically into the air to disperse the protesting truckers.
Confirming the incident to our correspondent, Chairman of Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMARTO)’ Chief Remi Ogungbemi said that the truckers who were on their way into Apapa port to load cargoes were protesting police extortion.
According to him, the incident happened around ‘Mr. Biggs’ junction at Niger bus-stop along Creek road. He however assured that the matter has been resolved by the police.
He told our correspondent that: "There was a brief protest by truck drivers, but the matter is now under control, the police are on top of the matter, although one person sustained injury on the head"
"The protest had to do with extortion of truckers by the police. It happened around Mr. Biggs at Niger bus stop, there was a queue of trucks lining up there up to the Apapa port gate".
Ogungbemi also lamented the untold hardship that his members are facing daily as a result of the deplorable state of the Apapa and Tin Can Island port access roads.
He subsequently called on the government to declare a state of emergency on the roads, saying that the bad roads have claimed so many lives and led to loss of valuable investments.
"Over the deplorable state of the 'death trap' that people are referring to as road, we are still waiting for the government to come and do something about it"
"We would also suggest that a state of emergency should be declared on the Apapa port roads" he said.
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