By ABUBAKAR AKOTE YABAGI

The Police Command in Niger has met with the officials of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to shelve the ongoing protest over alleged insecurity.

The drivers were protesting over the incessant kidnappings of drivers and passengers on the Mokwa-New Bussa road.

The Police spokesperson in the state, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Minna.

He said the police had already met with the aggrieved drivers who assured it that the roads would soon be reopened for movement.

According to Abiodun, the Mokwa Divisional Police Officer and other stakeholders in the area had initiated a dialogue with the leadership of the unions.

“The union members agreed and gave assurance that the road will be reopened immediately for motorists and other users of the road.

“The DPO assured the transporters that the Police, military and vigilante members were working closely in a series of joint clearance operations in the affected areas to address the security challenges,” he said.

Alhaji Muhammed Shaba, an elder in Mokwa, decried the spate of kidnapping of motorists along the axis, adding that relevant authorities need to take urgent measures to tackle it.

“They are protesting because our people are in the forest. As we speak, about seven or eight drivers including their passengers are in the hands of kidnappers in the forest.

“Sincerely speaking, this is happening almost on a daily basis along that axis and all our efforts so far have not yielded any positive results,” he added.

Also Speaking, Aishat Saadu, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Niger Command, noted that the New-Bussa chapter of the union started their own blockade on Saturday due to same reason.

“So, that of Mokwa just started their own today. I understand it’s causing serious gridlock along those axis. So, what is happening over there is beyond only the Corps.”

NAN had reported that commercial drivers blocked the Mokwa to New-Bussa and Mokwa to Bida to Ilorin roads to protest alleged kidnapping of their colleagues by suspected bandits.

The protest, which started since Friday, had caused heavy gridlock along Mokwa to Bida road as commuters were stranded.

One of the protesting drivers, Aliyu Hassan, confirmed to NAN that the road had been reopened following a meeting between the police, FRSC, and other stakeholders.

“The road has been reopened for movement. We embarked on the protest because for the past one month, bandits have been blocking the Mokwa-New Bussa Road every day, killing drivers and passengers and abducting some.

“Some drivers are currently being hospitalised due to gunshot injuries from bandits. The protest was to call authorities to take actions,” he said. (NAN)