Truck drivers protest over delay at Kano Inland Dry Port

Armed policemen were on Monday deployed to the Inland Containers Limited, Bonded Terminal, along Abdullahi Bayero road Kano, to prevent possible break down of law and order following a protest by truck drivers. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the truck drivers who blocked all roads leading to the Terminal, were protesting the […]

Armed policemen were on Monday deployed to the Inland Containers Limited, Bonded Terminal, along Abdullahi Bayero road Kano, to prevent possible break down of law and order following a protest by truck drivers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the truck drivers who blocked all roads leading to the Terminal, were protesting the failure of Customs officials to clear the containers for over two months.

The drivers accused the Nigerian Customs Service officials in charge of the Terminal for being insensitive to their plight as most of them had no money to even feed themselves.

The truck drivers, who decried the situation, said they would not remove their vehicles on the roads until the authorities concerned come to their rescue.

They called on the Federal and Kano State Government to intervene before the situation degenerated into a serious crisis between the drivers and customs personnel.

“Some of us have spent over two months, while others have spent more than that waiting for the clearing agents and customs officials to clear the containers.

“Unfortunately nothing is being done to clear the containers to enable us go back to our respective towns.

“The most painful thing is that majority of us have been exhausted as we have no money to feed ourselves,” one of the drivers, who decline to give his name told reporters.

As at the time of filling this report, human and vehicular movement, especially along all major roads leading to the Terminal had been halted due to the blockage while socio-economic activities had been paralysed in the entire area.

When contacted, the Deputy Comptroller of Customs in charge of the Terminal, Mr Gidado M. M. said he was not directed to talk to journalists.

“I am not allowed to talk to the press, but you can go and see our superior officers at the Customs headquarters at Bompai.”

However, when contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Kano/Jigawa Customs Area Command, Mr Danbaba Isah, said the Customs Service had no hand in the problem and directed NAN Correspondent to the management of the Containers Terminal, who earlier declined to comment on the issue. (NAN)