Just In : Angry residents attack FRSC command officers over extortion
A mob on Monday allegedly attacked the Lafiyawo office of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Gombe State threatening to vandalise the property.
Eyewitnesses who spoke with PUNCH Metro alleged that it took the intervention of other security agencies to calm the situation.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident followed alleged extortion, harassment as well as a call for an abrupt stop by the FRSC officials.
Speaking, Yahaya Dansa, who operates in the area, told our correspondent that fracas broke when more than five persons were stopped, adding, “The people started to revolt at the moment when they mobilised officers from 301 Artillery Regiment to protect the infrastructure of the corps.”
Another eyewitness, who identified himself as Danladi Akko, said, “We saw the FRSC officials stopping motorists; some of them were heading to farms. When they held them, many of them pleaded to be released. They (officers) claimed some of the drivers had bad tyres and so before you could say anything, some of them began to fight.”
When contacted, the Sector Commander of Gombe State FRSC, Felix Theman, described it as a minor fracas, stressing that normalcy had returned.
Theman said, “It was a minor fracas and we have handed them over to the police.”
Asked if it took the army to restore normalcy, he added, “They didn’t even meet anybody there. Before they could get there, they (mob) were not there again. The person who was asked to park didn’t stop, he went to park his motorcycle and come back. It happened across the office as I was watching what was happening.”.
