David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
There was tension yesterday in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State as tipper drivers clashed with police men believed to be operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) Anambra State, which disrupted vehicular movements for over 20 minutes before vacating the roads.
Police public relations officer, in the state, Mr Mohammed Haruna, said the matter was a case of the tipper driver hitting the vehicle of revenue collectors and injuring the policemen, who intervened to maintain peace.
“The ANIMO tipper drivers are just trying to over blow the situation and draw unnecessary sympathy. Their member was the offender and their president called me and I informed the state commissioner of police, who gave the directive that I should inform the DPO of Ekwulobia to record their statements and grant them bail, since it was a case of accident, and I did that.
“Why are they rushing to the press in a matter they are the offenders? What concerns the police with revenue collection? The matter is being resolved, why are they now rushing to the press? The president of the association is acting on hearsay.
The Anambra Imo Tipper Drivers Association (ANIMO) was said to have been having running battle with contractors engaged by the Anambra State government to collect levies from the tipper drivers in the state, which led to tipper drivers dragging the state government and its revenue collection agents to court.