How Anambra Transport Commissioner Stopped Keke Riders’ Showdown with Awka North Mayor

The Anambra State Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Edward Obiefuna Ibuzor, on Wednesday averted what could have escalated into a major confrontation between tricycle (Keke) riders and the Mayor of Awka North Local Government Area, Hon. ThankGod Anago.
The tricycle operators staged a protest over what they described as the mayor’s use of Agunechemba security operatives to intimidate,harass and force them out of a government-approved private park at Isuaniocha Junction and relocate them to another privately owned park which, according to the operators, had not been approved by the Anambra State Government.
The Anambra State Ministry of Transport had officially approved the private tricycle park at Isuaniocha Junction for Keke operators.
However, the mayor dismissed the approval letter as fake and deployed Agunechemba security operatives to enforce the relocation of the riders to another park.
The Agunechemba operatives allegedly harassed Keke riders loading and offloading passengers at the approved park and attempted to compel them to relocate to the alternative privately owned park.
Source said that the mayor has an interest in the alternative park to which he wanted the Keke riders relocated.
Angered by what they described as the mayor’s actions against the government-approved park, the tricycle operators mobilized in large numbers and blocked the roads leading to Isuaniocha, Mgbakwu, and Achalla.
They protested what they described as intimidation, harassment, and abuse of power by the Awka North mayor through the deployment of Agunechemba security operatives.
The protesters accused the mayor of harassing, intimidating, and coercing them into abandoning the approved park for an unapproved alternative.
Upon receiving information about the development, the Commissioner for Transport immediately mobilized the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, his Senior Special Assistant (SSA), and other aides and proceeded to Isuaniocha to obtain first-hand information about the situation.
Hon. Ibuzor has consistently maintained that he prefers to address issues based on facts established through personal assessment rather than hearsay.
On arriving at the area, the commissioner met hundreds of protesting Keke riders who had blocked the roads, leaving motorists and other road users stranded while expressing frustration over the situation.
Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and members of his team, the commissioner proceeded to inspect both the approved tricycle park at Isuaniocha Junction and the alternative park located along the Achalla Road.
Before commencing the inspection, Hon. Ibuzor appealed to the protesting riders to reopen the roads to enable him to carry out a proper assessment of the situation. The protesters complied with his appeal.
Following the inspection, the commissioner reaffirmed that the park at Isuaniocha Junction had been duly approved by the Ministry of Transport and directed the Keke riders to continue operating from the facility.
According to Hon. Ibuzor, the park is strategically located and suitable for use as a private tricycle park.
He also directed the owner of the park to immediately fence the premises and commence full operations.
“This place is suitable for a park. You should fence it immediately and commence operations,” the commissioner said.
It would be recalled that a day earlier, the Commissioner for Transport had contacted the Awka North mayor and directed that the approved park be reopened, having been duly authorized by the Ministry of Transport.
The commissioner also invited the mayor to Awka for discussions regarding any concerns he might have over the approval.
However, rather than reopening the park, the mayor redeployed Agunechemba security operatives to prevent the Keke riders from operating there.
It was further gathered that the operatives allegedly impounded some tricycles.
According to sources, operators who paid money were allowed to recover their vehicles, while those who refused had their ignition keys confiscated.
Insideoutnews gathered that although the mayor was earlier at the Commissioner’s office, he did not accompany the commissioner to the Isuaniocha Junction park, reportedly out of concern that he could be confronted by the protesting Keke riders.
Insideoutnews also gathered that when the riders mobilized for the protest, the Agunechemba operatives allegedly withdrew from the area.
When Insideoutnews earlier contacted the mayor to ascertain why he had ordered the closure of the park, he insisted that it was not an approved facility.
When informed that the Ministry of Transport had officially issued an approval letter for the park, the mayor allegedly dismissed the document as fake, insisting that the ministry could not approve a park within Awka North Local Government Area without notifying him.
According to the mayor: “Awka North is not a banana republic where anything goes.”