Edo Tipper Drivers On Strike Over Allege Killing of Their Worker by DSS [VIDEO]

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…….Wife of slain driver want husband body released, calls for financial support to take care of children left behind.

 

The Edo Tipper Drivers Association, are demanding for justice as they have gone on strike after the clash between them and Operatives of the Department of State Security, DSS, in Benin city the state capital in the early hours of Tuesday, which left one of their men dead and another hospitalized as a result of fatal injuries sustained from the firearms of the DSS.

Disclosing this decision to our correspondent in Benin city on Wednesday, the vice chairman of the association, Comrade Austin, said their men won’t work until the alleged DSS Operatives who committed the dastardly act are fished out and brought to justice as the law stipulate. He added that as at press time, the DSS haven’t taken any lawful decision against their operatives who shot and killed their man, Austin Esangbedo.
But sources at the DSS office had disclosed to newsmen that their operatives had gone to arrest some suspected Kidnappers who are members of the association and met stiff resistance on their way back after the operation around the headquarters of the association at a popular junction called Tenpogal junction in Ikpoba slope, accusing men of the association of putting up a road block resulting to exchange of gun fire but one of the Tipper Drivers fell to the superior power of the DSS arms.

Chairman of the association (in white) addressing members on Wednesday morning.

Speaking further, the vice chairman, who was saddened by the development, disclosed that three of their man were also arrested by the DSS operatives and it took the intervention of the commandant of the army 4th brigade and the chief of staff to state governor, Hon. Iyoha Osaogbova to get the men out of the custody of the DSS, on Tuesday when they protested to the office of the DSS.
According to him, “So we will not let it go like that, we want the state and federal government to tell us if the DSS are to protect the citizens of Nigeria or kill the citizens of Nigeria. We have also decided not to work till we get justice. We want those officers who committed the act to be brought to justice. They killed Innocent and law abiding citizen, so they should face the law for taking another man’s life unjustly.

“Up till now, we haven’t heard from from DSS, but we have been hearing cock and bull stories, they said they went to arrest kidnappers and getting to Ikpoba slope, we wanted to free the kidnappers that’s why they were firing at unarmed people, how can people without guns and cutlass fight heavily armed DSS Operatives in a bid to release kidnappers from them. One question I want to ask is, where are the guns they recovered from us or the Tipper garage? They should be able to tell the world the number and caliber of guns they recovered from us.

He added, “This matter is above the state Commissioner of police, and the only person we can listen to now is the state government as regard justice, those operatives must be prosecuted according to the law.” He said.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Edo Tipper Drivers Association, Mr Austin Uhunmwangho, who narrated what transpired, alleged that his men were on the road regulating traffic, while the DSS operatives were said to be driving against traffic in two vehicles and another Audi car. “When our drivers identified the first vehicle as being occupied by the operatives, they allowed them to go and asked the Audi to go back. This got the operatives angry and on getting down from their vehicle, they shot one of our drivers dead,” Uhunmwangho alleged.

Meanwhile the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, have on Wednesday visited the headquarters of the Tipper Drivers association, to condole with them, he also met the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Betty Esangbedo, there and consoled her and the children, promising to take responsibility of the burial and other expenses including the hospital bill of the old man who sustained bullet wounds on his two legs.

Speaking at their Ikpoba Slope secretariat, Obaseki said: “We are here this afternoon to condole with you, for the loss of your member and what happened yesterday.

“I want to thank you for the peaceful way you conducted yourselves; if not for the respect and regard you have for our government, I know what you would have done.

“So, I want to thank and appreciate you. In life, many things that we do not plan happen and yesterday was one of those unfortunate days. I will like us to leave it like that, in the back. There is a lot I am doing that I can’t tell you now.

“You are part of the security architecture in Edo State; we know what you do for us here to help maintain the peace that we all enjoy in the state. We appreciate you; even if some other people do not appreciate you, we appreciate you. We cannot bring back life, let’s focus on the loved ones that the driver left behind.”

He continued: “Let us see how we can take care of the families of those who are currently at the hospital receiving treatment. Thank God they did not lose their lives. I will now make sure I pay all their bills for all their treatment.

“I came here this afternoon to plead for peace, to thank all of you for what you have been doing and tell you that we will never leave you. We will not let anybody come and intimidate you; just continue with your business honestly.”

“We will work with the association and give your dead member a befitting burial; we cannot replace him, but as government, we will investigate his death.” Obaseki said

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