By Ifeoma Ejiofor
There is palpable tension in Anambra State as five tricyclists were arrested and detained for two days by the state’s enforcement joint taskforce (ANJET).
Trouble was said to have started when the Keke operators who were on official taskforce duty with Ocha Brigade were arrested at Upper Iweka area of Onitsha on Wednesday.
The arrested operators are; Eze Uchechukwu, Nzube Anyaeji, Chukwu Ignatius, Ekechi Monday and Ohazuruike Ifeanyi.
All efforts by the Anambra Keke Drivers Forum (AKDF) to make the government officials see reason was rebuffed by the ANJET officials who were said to be demanding one hundred and fifty thousand Naira bribe.
It the took intervention of the Coordinator of AKDF, Comrade Obi Ositadimma who appealed to his members not take to the street to protest the assault on five of their members.
He actually assured the Keke operators that he was working towards the release of the five of the incarcerated persons.
While some of AKDF members were still bracing up for a statewide protest, news broke in on Thursday that the Keke operators have been released.
Comrade Ositadimma in a chat with journalists in Awka condemned what he called intimidation of law abiding citizens.
He said that the development is unacceptable and condemnable.
He demanded compensation for the five tricyclists operators who he said were illegally detained at AVG Lion Building in Awka.
All efforts to get the reaction of ANJET boss proved abortive as he could not pick his calls.