Union petitions Delta Govt. over seizure of 91 motorcycles, tricycles

Union petitions Delta Govt. over seizure of 91 motorcycles, tricycles
NAN-H-46
Petition
Warri (Delta), Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) Mr Ikimi Oghenejabor, a legal practitioner, has urged on Gov.  Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta to order the state Directorate of Transport to release the over 91 motorcycles and tricycles unlawfully seized by its officials.
Oghenejabor, made the call in a petition to the governor, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Warri.
He stated in the 34-paragraph petition that the items belonging to members of the National Commercial Motorcycles and Tricycles Owners and Riders Association were confiscated for the non-payment of union dues.
Oghenejaborn said the petition was written based on the order of his client.
He explained that the properties were seized without valid court order between Sept. 5 and 6, 2016, in Warri South, Udu and Uvwie Local Government Areas of Delta.
He said that the union, in an earlier petition on Dec. 24, 2015, complained to the state Commissioner for Transport over the attitude of the consultant engaged by the ministry towards its members.
He added that in spite of the petition, the Commissioner, Mr Vincent Uduaghan, had directed the Vehicle Inspection Zonal Offices in Udu, Uvwie and Warri South to impound motorcycles and tricycles.
Oghenejabor quoted the commissioner as saying that the motorcycles and tricycles were impounded because their owners failed to remit welfare tickets (dues).
”While the Department of People’s Rights for the mediation is trying to intervene, the commissioner and members of the task forces of the consultant carried out a raid.
”They came in three Toyota Hilux vehicles with armed police personnel and stormed Udu, Uvwie and Warri.
”They forcefully seized motorcycles and tricycles belonging to my client Mr Godwin Ikolo, and his members plying the state highways without a valid court order.
”They said our client and his members had refused to purchase both the state government permit ticket and the consultant’s welfare ticket.’’
Oghenejabor urged the governor to prevail on the Directorate of Transportation to release the seized properties to his clients as most of them depended on them to fend for their families. (NAN)
EDI/EEM/NKO
Edited by Emmanuel Mogbede/Nkechi Okoronkwo
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