Touts React Over Governor Soludo’s Ban In Anambra State

CHUKA UBAH

Touts, who had for years taken over the streets and markets in Onitsha metropolitan city, have reacted over Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s ban by snubbing him and going on with their normal businesses by selling tickets and collecting tolls from motorists.

P.M.EXPRESS investigation revealed that some of the leaders of the touts, who spoke, advised the Governor to focus on other areas and leave the touts in the state alone.

They have also directed their members in different areas in Onitsha to deal decisively with any motorists, who may want to obey the Governor and refuse to pay their daily tolls and collect their tickets.

Some of the drivers and tricycle operators, who spoke to our correspondent, said they were not ready to receive any beating from the touts who may vandalize their vehicles as well.
The touts may have shown that they are not ready to leave their source of getting money from the victims, who they oppress on daily basis across the state.

On Sunday, we reported how the touts descended heavily on an unidentified tricycle operator for refusing to pay park levy at the popular UNIZIK Temporary Site, Awka, Anambra State.
It was said that the tricycle rider refused to pay the fees as demanded by the touts, reminding them that Governor Chukwuma Soludo had announced the ban on the activities of touts during his inaugural address on Thursday.
The touts, numbering three, had approached the tricycle operator and asked him to pay them the usual N200 but he refused.
According to an eyewitness, the tricycle operator, on hearing that, laughed and asked them to go and look for something else to be doing as touting has expired in Anambra; except they were the only people who had not heard that Soludo had banned touting in the state.
But the touts insisted and told him they were not ready for such jokes. His action angered the touts, who did not only seize his foot mat, but also forcefully pulled him out of his tricycle and started throwing punches on his face, while he grabbed and tightly held to one of them.
However, before people could separate them, the tricycle operator’s face, his cheeks and his mouth were already swollen, while blood was also dropping from his mouth.
Soludo had, during his inaugural address on Thursday, banned all form of touting and cash payment of taxes in the state.
The Commissioner of Police Anambra State has also directed the officers to enforce the ban in the State. But some touts have said that they cannot because they have their share from the levy they collect daily and will not pose any danger in continuous collection of the money from motorists.