A 27-year-old truck driver identified as Usman Bello has been remanded in prison over a deliberate blockade of the ever-busy Jimeta bridge that links the Adamawa State capital, Yola, with other northern parts of the state.
Bello who appeared before a Yola Upper Area Court II presided by Hon. Nuhu Garta, was said to have committed the offence on August 5, 2021, in protest against an alleged extortion of N15,000 by men of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The PUNCH reported that a truck driver caused a total gridlock on the Jimeta bridge which lasted for hours, leaving commuters stranded before he was later arrested by the police.
Bello was subsequently charged with obstructing public way or crossing line navigation, driving without a driver's licence, operating a vehicle with an expired certificate of roadworthiness and operating with defective lights.
The truck driver was also charged with violating section 165 of the state Penal Code as well as sections 7, 51, 62, 10, 54 of the road traffic law.
When the charges were read to him, he pleaded guilty to the offences.
Thereafter, the court ordered that the young man be taken to prison, and consequently adjourned the matter till August 20, 2021, for corroboration and summary trial.
