Angry tricycle operators vandalise FRSC vehicles, building

Part of the vandalised office.
| credits: FRSC

Some aggrieved tricycle operators in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, have destroyed some vehicles and part of a building belonging to the Federal Road Safety Corps in the state.

The action of the tricycle operators followed an accident involving one of their members, Mr. Magnus Dike.

Dike, on Saturday, was taking three children home when a driver, said to be pursued by men of the FRSC, rammed into his tricycle, killing his children, a boy and a girl.

The third person in the tricycle, Dike's foster child, aged 14, was rushed to an undisclosed hospital, where she was said to be recuperating.

Some operators, who were said to be around when the accident happened, were allegedly upset at the development and they mobbed the officers of the corps at the scene.

The marshals were said to have taken refuge at the headquarters of the Central Naval Command at the Agudama area of the state.

Still upset that people who caused the accident  had fled the scene, the operators went to the FRSC state command headquarters and vandalised some parts of the building.

When our correspondent was conducted round the premises on Monday by Sector Head of Operations, Mr. Faustinus Kalu, he observed that the corps conference hall, operations office, and some doors and windows of the command were broken.

It was learnt that it took the combined efforts of the police and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to dispel the rampaging operators.

The Sector Commander, FRSC, Mr. Vincent Jack, expressed sadness at the accident which claimed the lives of the two schoolchildren.

He said the information he got was that the officials were appealing to a driver who had excess passengers to drop one person.

He said it was in the process of the encounter between the men and the commercial driver that the tricyclist sighted them, and probably thinking he would be arrested, drove on top speed to avoid the patrol team.

Jack said, "Dike lost control of the tricycle and ran over the Toyota Matrix vehicle being held by our men.

"Some tricycle riders blamed our men for the accident and they got violent, The marshalls had to run for their lives. The next report I got was that they mobilised themselves and destroyed government property."

The sector commander said the corps Marshall General,  Mr. Chidoka Osita, had ordered that an investigative panel be set up to unravel the cause of the accident.

He added, "We will hear the version of the tricycle operators to know how it happened. The FRSC will not mortgage its integrity and image on the altar of officers who are found wanting in their job.

"We believe in engaging people without using force.  That is why we do not bear arms. We appeal to the public to remain calm until all investigations are concluded."