Commercial minibus drivers in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday continued their protest for a second consecutive day over the alleged assault of one of their colleagues by officials of a task force operating in the area.

The protest, which began on Thursday, has continued to disrupt commercial transportation around the Obiri/Ikwerre Flyover, with many minibuses remaining off the roads as drivers insist they will not resume operations until their demands are addressed.

The demonstration follows Thursday’s incident when protesting drivers blocked sections of the Obiri/Ikwerre Flyover and adjoining roads, causing a major traffic gridlock along the Choba/Eleme axis of the East-West Road. The disruption left hundreds of commuters stranded, forcing many to trek long distances to their destinations.

By Friday morning, commercial activities around the flyover were still affected as clusters of drivers gathered at the protest venue, while passengers struggled to secure alternative means of transportation.

Some commuters expressed solidarity with the protesting drivers, describing the alleged conduct of some task force officials as disturbing. They accused the officials of frequently harassing commercial drivers, extorting money from them and using excessive force during enforcement operations.

The passengers urged the Rivers State Government to investigate the allegations and ensure that officials carrying out traffic enforcement operate within the confines of the law.

The protesting drivers maintained that they would continue the demonstration until justice is served for their injured colleague.

According to the drivers, the incident occurred during a disagreement over a transport ticket when task force officials allegedly attempted to seize the victim’s vehicle. They claimed the officials pushed the driver out of his moving bus, leaving him with injuries.

The drivers described the incident as unacceptable, insisting that no enforcement operation should endanger the life of any road user.

They called on the relevant authorities to identify and sanction those responsible, while also demanding reforms to curb what they described as repeated harassment of commercial drivers by task force personnel.

As of the time of filing this report, there had been no official response from the task force or the Rivers State Government regarding the allegations, while the protest continued around the Obiri/Ikwerre Flyover, with commuters bearing the brunt of the transport disruption.