Umuahia residents urge Abia govt to checkmate touts

Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, Governor of Abia State,

Some residents of Umuahia, the Abia capital, have urged the state government to take urgent measures to checkmate the activities of touts.

The call was made following a failed attempt by a motorist to set himself and six touts ablaze in Umuahia on Thursday.

It took the timely intervention of bystanders and shop owners in the area to avert what could have been a major disaster.

A witness told NAN that the incident happened around noon when touts popularly called “agboro”, accosted an unidentified motorist, accusing him of parking wrongly.

A shop attendant in the area, Gregory Kalu, observed that the menace of the group had gained momentum since the inception of the present administration.

Kalu described Thursday’s incident as a regular occurrence in different parts of Umuahia,adding: “we see these things everyday.”

Mrs. Catherine Mbanaso, a petty trader in the vicinity, also described the touts as “a band of notorious and vicious men” who attack motorists recklessly.

Kalu and Mbanaso accused the touts of often molesting and extorting money from unsuspecting motorists, especially commuter vehicle, tricycle, lorry and haulage vehicle operators in the city.

“Their reckless approach, including dragging the steering with commuter-vehicle operators on motion, had led to accidents on several occasions,” Mbanaso said.

Both residents appealed to the state government to disband the group as its activities were unacceptable and tended to bring the image of the state government to disrepute

According to the witness, the touts pounced on the motorist, accusing him of causing obstruction.

“They shouted and threatened to impound his bus.

“Surprisingly, the driver pulled out a jerry can of fuel from the bus, rushed out with it and splashed the fuel on the touts and himself.

“He then rushed back into the car and took a packet of matches before a large crowd who had gathered at the scene held the man.

“They overpowered him and led him back into the bus,” the witness said.

NAN reports that the incident is generating public discourse with many residents calling for urgent government intervention.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Transport, Mrs. Tina Ikwuegbu, told NAN on the telephone that the ministry was worried by public complaints about the activities of touts.

Ikwuegbu said that the ministry was working on measures to checkmate them.