Bike snatchers have been on the rampage, causing fatal damages to many commercial motorcycle riders in Kebbi State.
Commercial motorcycle riders
It has been revealed that up to about 20 commercial motorcycle riders have been murdered in Kebbi State.
The revelation was made by the Association of Commercial Motorcycle Operators.
According to the group, 20 of its members were killed by thieves in the last six months in Kebbi State.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Malam Nafi’u Zaki, the
Chairman of the association, said on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi that the
killings were reported in three Local Government Areas.
He said that no fewer than 800 members of the association have
abandoned the business for fear of falling victims of bike snatchers.
He said, “From April to date, we have lost 20 of our members;
11 were from Birnin Kebbi Local Government while nine were from Argungu
and Yauri Local Government Areas.
“They were manhandled, waylaid and sometimes strangled or
stabbed to death. We registered 4,000 members as at last year; most of
them were from neighbouring villages. But this year, we have only
registered 3,200 members.
“We are aware of the circumstances behind the low registration;
they were no longer at ease in operating their routine commercial
services.”
He said that the association hardly spend a month without recording incidents of motorcycle snatching. He said, “Our members are in dire need of security protection as lawful and bonafide indigenes of the state.”
Zaki called on the State Government and security agencies to come to the rescue of the association by tackling the menace.
He, however, warned members of the association against taking law into their hands when such cases of snatching occurred.
He said, “We want to avert a situation in which our members
would resort to taking law into their hands. That is why we are urgently
calling on the authorities to take proactive measures.”
He said many of the youths rely on the commercial motorcycle business as their means of livelihood.
He said, “The trade has alleviated depression, poverty and
idleness. Such victims of the despicable act may resort to taking the
law into their hands if government and security operatives fail to curb
the menace
“We are sure that the authorities and security agencies would put the ugly trend into proper check.”
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