NSCDC Goes After ‘Agberos’, Others Over Nefarious Acts At Motor Parks In Delta

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has ordered arrest of touts popularly known as ‘Agberos’ caught in alleged acts of violation of human rights, extortion and harassment of motorists and commuters in motor parks in Delta state.

Already, 25 Divisional Officers and Squadron Commanders of NSCDC in the State has been put on red alert to arrest any member of National Union of Road Transport Worker, (NURTW) and ‘Agbero’ who constitute nuisance at the various motor parks in the state.

BIGPENNGR gathered that the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Commandant Akinsanya Iskilu Abiodun, gave the order in an e-signed statement by the Command’s Public Relation Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Corps, Emeka Peters Okwechime and made available to newsmen in Warri, on Monday.

Okwechime, in the statement, said that the directives by the Corp Commandant followed complaints on the inglorious activities of some members of NURTW popularly known as ‘Agberos’ across the state.

He said that the Corp has been inundated by their nefarious and notorious acts of harassing, intimidating, and molesting of motorists whom they extort their hard earned money from, impound their vehicles and infringe on the fundamental human rights of freedom of movements of goods and services.

‘The Agberos go as far as hundred meters away from their motor parks to carry out their nefarious and notorious act of harassing innocent citizens and motorists plying their trades at the motor parks’, he said.

Okwechime said that the act of the so- called ‘Agberos’ not only constitute public nuisance but ‘is culpable of breaching public peace and causing mayhem in the society if not nip in the bud now’.

‘We therefore call on the leaders of transport Union/workers to as a matter of urgent public importance withdraw all legal/illegal transport workers from along all the roads in the state back inside the government approved motor parks’.

DSC Okwechime warned that any transport worker found along the roads in the guise of Agbero taking laws into his hand will be treated as criminal and will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

He said that the era were miscreant in the guise of Agberos take laws into their hands to harass, extort and beat up motorist and infringe/violate their fundamental human rights of freedom of movement of passengers, goods and services outside their government approved motor parks are over.

‘The State Commandant Akinsanya Iskilu Abiodun  in the Strength of Section 3, sub section 1(a) of the NSCDC Act empowers the NSCDC in maintaining peace and order across the nation, therefore placed the 25 Divisional Officers and all Squadron Commanders on red alert towards this backdrop.

He further warned the transport Union/ workers to revert inside motor parks and operate within government approved motor parks and vacate all the roads with immediate effect to avoid arrests and prosecutions.

‘Any transport Union/worker operating outside government approved parks are criminals and will be treated as such if caught’, he warned.

Meanwhile, the Command’s spokesman said his men would soon go after erring motorcyclists who drive against traffic on the ever busy Asaba-Ughelli expressway and some restricted routes in Uvwie, Warri, Sapele, Ughelli  and other parts of the state as well as federal highways in the State.

He also warned motorcyclist and tricycle operators, popularly known as Keke riders riding against traffic, plying restricted routes across the state to desist even as he warned those using both Keke and motorcycles popularly called Okada for criminal activities to steer clear from it or risk being send to prison when caught.