Enugu – Timber dealers in Enugu have appealed to the Federal Government to check the activities of touts who block federal highways to demand for payments by drivers conveying their goods.
The Chairman of Enugu Timber Union, Chief Levi Obi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Wednesday that the menace was becoming worrisome and was giving the country a negative image.
Obi noted that the amount being demanded by these people, who claim to be revenue agents, ranged from N5,000 to N10,000 without a genuine receipt.
“We cannot continue this way where the Federal Government turns blind eye to the evil being perpetrated on its roads by touts.
“Today, no matter where you are coming from in the country, north or south, you meet youths in groups brandishing sticks and some dangerous weapons demanding for money.
“And the money being demanded had gone from N1,000 and N2,000 to between N5,000 and N10,000 and we have at least two of these group on each federal highway.
“This is devastating to us, the traders, and is increasing the cost of goods. If you do not pay, they will remove an item from your vehicle or descend on the driver and conductor with serious and merciless beating.
“Even when you report the incident to the police, nothing will be done about it,’’ he said.
The chairman urged the Federal Government to rehabilitate federal roads in the South East to reduce road mishaps, robbery and traffic gridlock on the highways.
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“Most of our trucks have dilapidated due to the bad roads in the South East; it is only Onitsha-Owerri road that one can say is motorable,’’ he said. (NAN)