Commercial tricycle riders in Rivers State have staged a protest against the death of their colleague, identified simply as PraiseGod, at a police station in Woji community of the State.
They stated that PraiseGod died at the Woji Police Station, where he had gone to secure the release of his tricycle that was seized by policemen attached to the division.
A source said after securing the release of his tricycle, a vulcanizer that was invited by the police to pump the deflated tyres of the tricycle demanded an outrageous fee, which PraiseGod refused to pay.
The source said an argument ensued, which degenerated into a fight between the duo.
“During the struggle between the two, the vulcanizer hit the Keke rider with an object and he fell down and died,” the source added.
Angered by the development, tricycle riders took to the streets of Woji to protest the death of their friend.
Cousin to the deceased, Godbless Monday, said, “I got a call on Tuesday night that my cousin, PraiseGod, engaged in a fight with a vulcanizer and was vomiting blood.
“It was early this morning that I got to the station and was told that my brother was dead.
When contacted, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, said the vulcanizer had been arrested.
“To the best of my knowledge, we have a case of murder at the Woji Police Station, where a certain Keke rider was given six blows in his stomach by a vulcanizer, which later resulted to the Keke rider’s death.
“The vulcanizer has been arrested and the matter is being investigated as ordered by the Commissioner of Police,” Omoni said.
