Keke Napep riders protest in Yobe

There was tension in Damaturu, Yobe’s state capital, when Keke NAPEP operators went on strike to protest continuous abuse and high penalties levied by Yobe State Road Traffic Agency (YOROTA) staff.

The operators said that YOROTA workers harassed their members, demanded expensive penalties for minor traffic violations, and required all riders to re-register.

City & Crime reported that students, commuters, and businesses suffered as riders expressed their dissatisfaction with the situation and demanded government assistance.

Bukar Adamu, a rider, stated, “They (YOROTA) are charging us astronomical penalties ranging from N5,000 to N20,000 for minor traffic violations. We will not accept it anymore. Last year, they imposed superfluous costs of roughly N40,000 or N20,000. Now, they want us to pay additional fees for stickers and car registration plates. We will not tolerate harassment again.

Another rider, Babagana Mustapha, stated, “Many of the operators are struggling to feed their families, and the Keke NAPEP you are seeing are not ours.” We used to pay back the owners of these motorcycles on a daily basis, sometimes monthly. In light of rising fuel and food prices, riders are on strike to prevent the government from ordering new registrations and address ongoing mistreatment and excessive fines.

When contacted, Alhaji Umaru Barau, Yobe State Chairman of the Tricycle Riders Association, stated, “This demonstration is unlawful since they (protesters) did not notify the union of their intention to hold this protest. They should at least notify us so that we can assist them or encourage them to stop. It is evident that certain of YOROTA’s rules directly harm us, and we have filed concerns with the general manager. But protesting is not a solution.

Meanwhile, attempts to reach YOROTA for their opinion were futile.