On Wednesday in Sapele, Delta State’s Sapele Local Government Area, a fight between a tricycle operator and a member of the revenue taskforce team over the non-payment of a daily tax of N400 resulted in disaster.
The ticket boy, who went by Tunde but was affectionately known as Osama, allegedly choked tricycle Keke rider Augustine Williams to death during a brawl.
The latter was reportedly taken to a neighboring hospital for medical assistance after collapsing and being declared dead there.
THE BUREAU NEWSPAPER was informed by eyewitnesses that Osama’s attempt to take the tricycle operator’s key caused a furious altercation.
When Osama tried to take out the Keke key and Augustine gripped his hand, a struggle broke out. A witness claimed that as things got physical, Osama grabbed Augustine by the neck, causing him to pass out.
Ese Agbamitor, a commercial tricyclist, bemoaned the regrettable situation and pointed out that the revenue task force members frequently harass and attack operators.
In the meantime, the Sapele Chapter of the Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association, or COMTOA, has denied any role in the victim’s death.
The union’s vice chairman, Destiny Uhria, issued a statement claiming that the suspect in the Keke rider’s death was not a member.
“The so-called person is neither a member of the task force nor of the association, and the association is using this medium to inform the general public,” he said.
According to Uhria, the incident occurred before the forum started enforcing the arrest of defaulters.
A suspect had been taken into custody by the police in Sapele, according to DSP Bright Edafe, the spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command.