The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Plateau State, staged a protest on Sunday, March 2, in Jos, condemning the alleged killing of northern truck drivers in Nigeria’s South-East region.
The union accused suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of targeting their members and called for urgent government intervention to end the attacks.
During the demonstration, protesters displayed placards with messages such as “Enough is Enough,” “Protect Northern Truck Drivers,” and “Stop the Killings Now.”
Speaking on the issue, Janedu Ahamad Zaki, Coordinator of Heavy Trucks, Plateau State Council, described the continuous attacks as “senseless and barbaric.”
“For the past eight years, truck drivers from northern Nigeria have been systematically attacked while transporting goods to the South-East. Many have been killed, their trucks set ablaze, and their livelihoods destroyed. We do not understand why we are being targeted,” Zaki lamented.
He revealed that between January and December 2024 alone, more than 20 truck drivers were murdered in areas such as Ihube, Okigwe, and Isuochi in Imo State, with several others still missing.
Providing a chilling account, Zaki recounted an incident on January 28, 2025, when four drivers—Haruna Jibril, Bala Muhammad, Dalladi Jafaru, and Auwal Muhammad—were ambushed while transporting tomatoes to Port Harcourt.
“They were killed in cold blood, their trucks emptied, and the attackers even filmed the empty vehicles to confirm the act. When we contacted them to retrieve the bodies, they coldly told us to forget about them,” he said.
He further decried the continued inaction of security agencies, despite repeated reports of these incidents.
“Just yesterday, in the Four Corner community of Nkanu West LGA, Enugu State, suspected IPOB members opened fire on a truck carrying perishable goods. Fortunately, the driver and his assistants survived. These brutal attacks persist, yet no meaningful action has been taken,” he added.
Zaki identified Enugu-Lokpanta, Lokpanta-Okigwe, and Okigwe-Umuahia as some of the most dangerous routes for truck drivers, stating that repeated attacks have resulted in billions of naira in losses, further worsening the economic hardship for truck owners and union members.
In their protest, the NURTW members called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector General of Police to intervene urgently.
They warned that if the attacks persist, truck drivers may be forced to halt the transportation of goods to the South-East, which could have severe economic consequences for the region.