The Benue State task force on security known as “Operation Zenda”, made up of the military and the police is at odds with members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers (NUPENG) in Makurdi, the state’s capital.
This problem is said to have spanked pandemonium in the entire city.
It was learnt that the trouble emanated when a tanker driver spat on one of the traffic wardens who was about his business directing the traffic flow along the Makurdi road that leads to the Southern part of Nigeria.
According to Punch, an eyewitness, who identified himself as Ahir, disclosed that a motorist with a smaller car blocked the road before the tanker driver got to the scene.
The source said the truck driver tried to force his way through against the direction of the traffic steward.
According to Ahir, this prompted a quarrel between the traffic officer and the tanker driver, who in the course of the argument allegedly spat on the traffic warden.
This happened simultaneously with the arrival of the members of the “Operation Zenda” group who collided and beat the tanker driver to a pulp.
Meanwhile, other colleagues of the tanker driver and some NUPENG workers got a tip of the event.
Consequent to this development, the union officials allegedly blocked the road with their trucks in agitation of the treatment received by their colleagues.
The state chairman of NUPENG, Joseph Hungur, revealed to journalists at the scene of the barricade that the state treasurer of the Union, Mr. Abdullahi Ibrahim, lost a tooth during the encounter.
He said, “My treasurer lost one of his teeth and has been whisked away; at the same time, some of our workers are already in detention and I cannot tell them to move away because it will look as if I am acting in connivance with the security operatives.”
It is noted that there is scarcity of fuel in the state currently and black market dealers are making huge sales as the scarcity continues to get more serious.
