Motorcycle Operators, Kebbi chapter, on Monday called for security protection after four of its members were killed by thieves in the state.
Malam Nafi’u Zaki, the Chairman of the association, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi.
Zaki said that the four members were killed in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of the state.
“Our members are in need of protection by the government from these thieves, as residents of the state and citizens of the country.”
He said that until recently, the association had no record of any member being killed by thieves in the course of snatching their motorcycles.
“From May to date, we have lost four of our members; one in May and the other three within this month, and all were from the Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area.
“On July 6, our member from Gumi LGA of Zamfara was killed by thieves in the Makera community of Birnin Kebbi LGA.
“On July 9, a member, identified as Yasir Dayyabu, from Talatar Mafara, Zamfara, was also killed by the thieves.
“On July 12, another one named, Samaila Birnin Kebbi, was also killed by the thieves, all within this month, while Bashir Gwadangaji was killed in May.
“The first reported bike robbery took place one and half years ago,” the chairman said.
He said that the victims were waylaid, manhandled, and sometimes strangled or stabbed to death.
Zaki put the figure of the registered members of the association in the state at 37,000, adding that most of them were from neighboring villages and states.
“We want to avert a situation in which our members would resort to taking the laws into their hands, that is why we are urgently calling on the authorities to take appropriate measures.
“We are also urging our members to be wary of taking customers to remote and bushy locations even in daylight, to avert being robbed,” the chairman said.
He said that many of the youths relied on commercial motorcycle business as their means of livelihood.
“The trade has alleviated depression, poverty, and idleness.
“Members may resort to taking the laws into their hands if the government and the security agencies fail to address the issue.”
