Minibus drivers in Calabar, Cross River State, have barricaded major bus stops on the Muritala Muhammad highway in protest against alleged extortion of N45,000 by government agencies for wrong parking.

The angry drivers, who chanted anti-government songs with tree leaves and branches on their vehicles, disrupted flow of traffic and left passengers stranded at bus stops.

Some of them chanted, “Commissioner for Transport, stop extorting us, we have families, stop collecting N45,000 for wrong parking, we are pick and drop drivers, we are not state to state drivers, Enough is Enough!”

One of the drivers, Ekpo, alleged that the Commissioner for Transport, Ekpenyong Cobham, has directed his boys to harass drivers and impound their vehicles for picking and dropping passengers.

“We don’t have where to stand and carry passengers, we are commercial drivers, we are doing pick and drop, we are not doing state to state or council to council that the Commissioner and his boys expect us to have a specific place to load.

“Commissioner for Transport sent boys to arrest our minibuses and park them in his office at Waterboard and you have to pay N35,000 to N45,000 to get your vehicle released.”

At times, drivers go home with N1000 or N500 after balancing the owner. So, where does he expect us to get money? Should we go and get loan and give to Commissioner for Transport?” Ekpo asked.

Another bus drive lamented that each bus driver is mandated to register with Calabar Transport Regulatory Agency (CRTA), also known as 100 Marian, and that they pay N700 for unpainted and N550 for painted vehicles for receipt on daily basis.

He, however, called on the state government to create car parks and bus stops for cohen contacted, the Commissioner for Transport, Cobham, said he was already in a meeting with the Transport Union over the issue.