A tricycle driver, identified as Mr. Friday Ani, was reportedly killed on Wednesday night following an altercation with revenue enforcers at the Garriki Terminal in Enugu South Local Government Area.
The incident, which occurred on September 30th, has sparked outrage, leading to a massive protest on Thursday morning by hundreds of tricycle operators.
The protesters took to the streets, paralysing economic and social activities in the Garriki area and forcing parks in the suburbs to shut down for several hours.
The deceased, said to be in his early 50s and a father of five, was allegedly beaten to death by members of a task force deployed to enforce daily ticket collections.
A source identified as Chika Emeh, described the altercation. “I learned that the Keke operator was beaten to death by some cultists the terminal operators deployed to enforce daily ticket collection,” Emeh said.
“According to those who witnessed the incident, a passenger Ani was carrying dropped before entering inside the terminal. This development immediately triggered a quarrel and before you realise what was going on, one of the taskforce officials hit the driver on his head and he slumped. Unfortunately, before they could rush him to a hospital, he was already dead.”
The protest by the tricycle operators was marked by demands that the terminal operators produce Ani’s killers. The situation highlights the growing tension between commercial transport operators and revenue collectors in the state.
The circumstances surrounding the death remain contested. While some sources alleged the altercation stemmed from a ticket dispute inside the park, a formal statement from the opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) claims Ani was attacked because a passenger he was carrying alighted outside the terminal.
In reaction to the incident, the NDC in Enugu State has condemned the killing in the strongest terms and demanded justice.
In a press statement, the party extended condolences to the family of the deceased, noting that Ani hailed from Umuatugbuoma, Akegbe-Ugwu, in Nkanu West Local Government Area.
“The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Enugu State… condemns, in the strongest terms, the death of Mr. Friday Ani… who died at Garriki, Enugu, on the night of Wednesday, 30th September, 2026, after he was reportedly assaulted by a member of the Garriki Terminal task force of the Enugu State Government,” the statement read.
The NDC alleged that Ani was “hit on the head by a member of the task force because a passenger he was carrying alighted from his keke outside the Garriki Terminal.” His body has been deposited at St. Martin’s Mortuary, Enugu.
Reacting to the development, Sir Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa expressed deep pain over the loss. “I am deeply pained by the death of Mr. Friday Ani. He left home to earn an honest living and did not return,” Ohaa said.
He added, “On behalf of Mr. Peter Obi and the entire NDC family, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife, children, relatives and the keke riders’ community. No Enugu citizen should lose his life, or live in fear, for the crime of working hard. Once elected, we will end the era of extortion, harassment and intimidation on our roads.”
The NDC linked the incident to what it described as a “vicious revenue collection drive” under Governor Peter Mbah’s administration, which they claim has crippled small businesses and subjected riders to heavy taxation and harassment by touts.
The party called on Governor Mbah to immediately call the Garriki Terminal task force and other revenue enforcers to order. They also demanded a prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Ani’s death, the prosecution of those found culpable, and support for the bereaved family.
“We also call on the Nigeria Police Force to act professionally and impartially in this matter,” the statement added. “Ndi Enugu deserve a government that protects them, not one that makes a living a risk to their lives.”
Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful as the Command’s spokesperson SP Daniel Ndukwe did not take his calls or respond to a text message seeking his official confirmation.
