Akwa Ibom govt flouts court order against commercial vehicles impoundment

Ofonime Honesty

Weeks after the Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo issued a restraining order barring the state government and its agents from impounding commercial buses and tricycles on grounds of non-compliance with the double biometrics capturing, multiple taxations and other inordinate levies, more cases of impoundments have been recorded.

Following the restraining order which was handed by Justice Uwem Ibritam on November 14, 2022, about three buses with number plates AWK 664 YF, AFG 04 XA and KKN 205 XA, belonging to Fortune Offiong Ene, Godwin Okon Etim and Aniekan Edet Samuel, and a tricycle belonging to Aniedi Okon Isang, have suffered further impoundment.

This is even as the Ministry of Transport which supervises the activities of enforcement officers, was duly served with the order.

Speaking with newsmen after a recent court session, the operator of the seized tricycle, Aniedi Okon Isang, said he was manhandled by task force and mocked to go report to the judge that his tricycle had been seized.

According to him, life has been very bleak for him, his wife and his children since the tricycle (keke) was seized on 15 December 2022.

Also speaking, the President of the Township Drivers Association of Akwa Ibom State (TDAAKS), Comrade Bassey Effiong Udofia condemned the continued seizures, and wondered if “the task force members are above the law?”

The court had earlier frowned that its order was flouted, and had warned defendants to desist forthwith.

Defendants in the suit include Akwa Ibom State Attorney General, Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum, Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service, Commissioner for Environment, Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency and a consultant – Dryva.

The suit has HU/422/2022 as the registration number.