WARRI, Delta State – Commercial tricycle operators in Warri, Delta State, staged a protest today, blocking major roads and disrupting transportation to express their anger over a sharp increase in the price of mandatory operating stickers. The operators claim that alleged hoodlums posing as government officials are now forcing them to pay ₦12,000 for a sticker that previously cost ₦3,000.
The protesters, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with messages such as "We nor go gree. Agbero pack your load and go" and "Oborevwori, call your people to order," paralyzed traffic in Warri and its environs. Many commuters were forced to trek long distances.
"How much do we make on this road daily?" lamented Efevogho, one of the protesting tricycle operators, highlighting the financial strain caused by the price hike. Another operator, Eguonoghene, urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene and alleviate the hardship inflicted upon them by the alleged touts.
A group called the Initiative For Social Rights Concerns And Advancement (ISRCA) has also called on Governor Oborevwori to address the situation urgently. They pointed out that the price increase, allegedly implemented by the tricycle operators' union, comes at a time when Nigerians are already grappling with economic hardship and rising costs of goods.
The ISRCA urged the Delta State Government to capitalize on the situation by substantially reducing the price of the stickers, establishing a standardized price, and engaging with tricycle drivers to understand their challenges. They emphasized that the government should create enabling opportunities for the vast majority of its citizens to earn a living.