Tanker drivers will pay for blocking Kaduna-Abuja road – El-Rufai

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said that tanker drivers who blocked the Abuja-Kaduna highway on Friday would pay for their action.

The drivers blocked both lanes of the highway to protest the death of one of them who was allegedly shot by a policeman for refusing to give N2,000 bribe.

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Eyewitnesses said the deceased, a J5 driver, was shot around midnight at a checkpoint near OLAM Floor Mill, Kaduna.

The driver was allegedly transporting smuggled rice to an unknown destination.

The road blockage organised by the protesters left thousands of road users stranded.

El-Rufai, in a tweet on Friday, said the state police commissioner was investigating the incident but added that the drivers would pay for the roadblock.

“The State Commissioner of Police is investigating and reporting to our Attorney-General for immediate prosecution of the trigger-happy officer, but the tanker drivers have no right to do what they did, and must pay the price as well,” he said.

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Reports say a Dangote female truck driver was the first to arrive at the scene, blocking one of the lanes before other drivers joined.

The drivers insisted they would not remove the barricades until El-Rufai and the police commissioner addressed them.