By Patrick Obia
One of Cross River’s enthusiastic entrepreneurs, Toms Alims has raised an alarm over an impoundment of one of his dispatch rides – Eagle 1 by men of the Nigerian Police Force, Mbukpa Division, Calabar South Local Government.
The yet-to-be-identified officers who impounded the bike on Sunday 30 October claimed that “the rider’s information is different from the one of the peoples who registered the bike.”
Alims on his Facebook wall said the police are demanding five thousand (5,000) Naira before it can be released and his plea to the officers to collect two thousand Naira fell on deaf ears even without being at fault in any way.
Tom wrote: “Eagle-1 was arrested by men of Nigeria Police Force in Calabar yesterday.
“What’s the offense? ‘The rider’s information is different from the one of the people who registered the bike.’
“Like seriously? So the CEO who registered the bike as one of the fleet of bikes in his Company should be the one riding it?
“Riders permit was provided to show the rider is permitted to ride and also a staff of our company, but it fell on deaf ears and blind eyes who couldn’t see.
“They took the bike to their (Mbukpa police) station and it slept there.
We’ve gone there today to get the bike only to be told the team that arrested the bike are not on duty until tomorrow. They left a message with one of the Policemen on duty that if the bike owners come, they should ‘pay N5,000 before the bike is released.”
“We protested the 5k bill and offered 2k. The man bluntly refused and left us there. From morning until this moment, my rider is yet to see the man, and none of his colleagues could give his phone number to be called.
“My fine and refined Police friends in this community, make una see how some of una guys don cripple our operations for two days oh. Dis kain life good so?
“Dis one, no be Uncle Bubu we go blame oh.
Dem just wan extort us 5k for this kain hard times. All bike papers dey intact. Rider’s permit dey. Approval for operation from Governor’s office dey to operate, but dem still carry bike go keep for dia office. Hmmm. Yanga dey sleep, trouble dey go wake am naim be dis one.”
Meanwhile, at the time of filing this report, source told CrossRiverWatch that the police authorities in the state have waded in and ordered the dispatch ride released.
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