Community Boys Compel Tipper Driver To Restore Damaged Cable,As Vigilante Men Make Brisk Business
It was a mixture of confusion and aggression at Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor local government area as a sand carrying tipper driver forcefully gained entrance into a confined space, leading to damage of the electric cable wire supplying power to residents of Rumuomoi and Psychiatric Hospital Road.
According to an eye witness, the offending driver did not know that some youth around the area had mobilized immediately but was surprised seeing them behind him.
The tipper driver who our source gave his name as Musa was compelled to pack his vehicle and hand the key to one of the youth leaders.
Our source explained that Musa and his assistance were queried for throwing caution to the wind.
While Musa realized the need to plead for understanding, his aid insisted that Musa was at top speed and would have none of his caution.
Confirming the incident, an elder in the area, Chinda Monday, condemned the truck driver’s attitude, while expressing happiness that the incident occurred when electric power was withheld from the area and entire Rumuola, based on the ongoing expansion of the fly-over bridge in the area.
He informed that the tipper driver had pledged to take responsibility for what happened. But it took a while before the PHED officials were mobilized to effect the repair.
The following morning however, the cable was found lying on the ground at the junction, while the damaged facility was repaired later in the day, with evidence that the truck had been handed back to the drive after parting with unspecified amount to secure the release of his vehicle.
The driver was said to have lamented that he was in a hurry to deliver to his customer and had to take an unfamiliar route to escape a long traffic at the other end of the road.
Meanwhile, some vigilante men attached to the area made brisk business by collecting N100 gate pass from commercial bus operators who plied the street to link up Obi Wali.But the coordinator of the group ,according to a source close to him was said to have warned against extortion which may lead to compromise on their part and loss of confidence in their activities among the residents they serve.
