NIGERIA: NURTW Stages Protest In Jos Over Killing Of Northern Truck Drivers In Southeast

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) took to the streets of Jos, Plateau State, to protest the continued killing of northern truck drivers allegedly targeted by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the Southeast region.

The protest, held on Sunday, saw aggrieved drivers carrying placards with bold messages such as “Enough is Enough. Protect Northern Truck Drivers,” and “Stop the Killings, Ensure Free Movement for All.”

The demonstrators demanded urgent intervention from the federal government to protect truckers and ensure their safety while transporting goods to the Southeast.

Speaking during the demonstration, Janedu Ahamad Zaki, the Plateau State Coordinator for Heavy Trucks, described the attacks as inhumane and senseless.

According to him, northern truck drivers have been consistently targeted for nearly a decade, with dozens killed and hundreds of trucks either burnt or looted while delivering goods to southeastern states.

Zaki revealed that between January and December 2024 alone, more than 20 northern drivers were brutally killed in Imo State, particularly in communities such as Ihube, Okigwe, and Isuochi.

The attacks have left families grieving, with some bodies still unaccounted for, he said.

Recounting a recent tragedy, Zaki said that on January 28, 2025, four drivers: Haruna Jibril, Bala Muhammad, Dalladi Jafaru, and Auwal Muhammad, were ambushed along the Lokpanta-Umuahia axis.

They were transporting tomatoes to Port Harcourt when gunmen attacked, killed them, and looted their trucks. The assailants allegedly sent videos of the emptied trucks to the union as proof of the killings.

Despite reporting the incident to security agencies including the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigerian Army, Zaki lamented that no tangible action had been taken.

“Just yesterday, another truck carrying perishable goods was attacked at the Four Corner area in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State. Thankfully, the driver and his assistants escaped, but the rising insecurity is crippling our operations,” Zaki added.

He identified Enugu to Lokpanta, Lokpanta to Okigwe, and Okigwe to Umuahia as the most dangerous routes for northern truckers, noting that fear of deadly ambushes has made many drivers reluctant to transport goods to the region.

The union estimates that billions of naira worth of goods and trucks have been lost to these attacks, worsening the economic struggles of NURTW members.

They accused security agencies of turning a blind eye despite repeated complaints.

The protesters called on President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector General of Police to urgently address the situation before it escalates further.

“As Nigerians, we have the constitutional right to live and work freely across the country. We demand justice for our slain members and the immediate prosecution of IPOB leaders whose followers are allegedly responsible for these heinous crimes,” Zaki said.

Jafar Mahmud, who spoke on behalf of the union members, warned that if the killings continued, truckers might be left with no option but to suspend deliveries to the Southeast entirely.

“If the government fails to act, we will be forced to stop all transportation of goods to the Southeast. Enough is enough. May Almighty God keep Nigeria united and protect us all,” Mahmud declared.