The National Union of Road Transport Workers has staged a protest in Jos, Plateau State, condemning the killing of northern truck drivers allegedly by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra in the South-East region.

The protest, which took place on Sunday, saw drivers carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Enough is enough,” “End the carnage, ensure smooth passage of northern truck drivers,” and “We are united against violence, protect all drivers regardless of origin.”

Speaking during the demonstration, the State Coordinator of Heavy Trucks, Plateau State Council, Janedu Ahamad Zaki, described the attacks as “senseless and barbaric.”

He called on the Federal Government to deploy security personnel to protect truck drivers and their properties in the region.

“For the past eight years, truck drivers from northern Nigeria have been consistently targeted, killed, and had their trucks destroyed or burnt while transporting goods to the South-East. We are still trying to understand what offense we have committed to deserve this kind of barbaric killing,” he said.

Zaki further alleged that over 50 drivers had lost their lives, while hundreds of trucks carrying goods such as cattle, grains, and perishable items had been set ablaze or looted.

“Between January and December 2024 alone, in communities such as Ihube, Okigwe, and Isuochi in Imo State, more than 20 drivers were brutally killed, and their trucks either burned or damaged. Some bodies were recovered, while others remain missing,” he claimed.

He cited a recent attack on January 28, 2025, where four drivers — Haruna Jibril, Bala Muhammad, Dalladi Jafaru, and Auwal Muhammad — were ambushed between Lokpanta in Imo State and Umuahia in Abia State while transporting tomatoes to Port Harcourt. According to him, all four were killed, and their trucks were emptied by the assailants.

“The perpetrators, after unloading the tomatoes, filmed the empty truck and sent the videos to us to confirm that they had killed the victims. When we called them to release the bodies, they told us to forget about them,” he recounted.

Zaki lamented that despite reporting the attack to the Police Area Command in Okigwe, the Department of State Services, the Nigerian Army, and the Imo State Police Command, no action had been taken.

“Just yesterday, suspected IPOB members in the Four Corner community of Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State opened fire on a truck carrying perishable items heading to Port Harcourt. Luckily, the driver and his assistants survived. These sad incidents continue unabated without any serious move to stop them,” he added.

He identified the most dangerous routes as “Enugu to Lokpanta, Lokpanta to Okigwe, and Okigwe to Umuahia in Abia State,” adding that fear of attacks has made it difficult for truck drivers to operate in the region.

The destruction of trucks, estimated to be worth billions of naira, has worsened economic hardship among union members, he said, accusing security agencies of failing to protect them.

“Despite continued reports of these incidents to various security agencies, including the police and military, no concrete actions have been taken to address the issue,” he stated.

The protesters called on the federal government, particularly President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector General of Police, to take immediate action.

“As Nigerian citizens, we believe we have the right to move freely and engage in legitimate businesses without fear of persecution. This level of brutality and disregard for human life is unacceptable, and we demand justice for our members,” Zaki said.

The union also demanded that IPOB leaders be held accountable for the alleged atrocities committed by their members and called for increased security presence along affected routes.

Jafar Mahmud, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, warned that if the attacks continued, truck drivers might be forced to suspend the transportation of goods to the Southeast.

“If these atrocities continue, we will have no option but to suspend the transportation of goods to the Southeast. It is high time the government rises to the occasion. We pray that Almighty God blesses Nigeria and keeps us united,” Mahmud said. (Sunday PUNCH)