Hoodlums kill taxi driver for carrying ‘illegal’ passengers

Hoodlums suspected to be working for the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Akure, Ondo State, have sent 37-year-old taxi driver, Muyiwa Alabi, to his early grave for allegedly carrying passengers “illegally” along the Akure-Idanre Road.











The slain driver was reported to have been clubbee to death by the hoodlums, following argument when his cab was impounded for carrying passengers believed to be meant for their unit. The incident threw the entire family of the deceased, including his aged parents who depended on him, into mourning mood. It was gathered that in the course of putting up resistance by the deceased, the hoodlums descended on him and his cab was driven to the Idanre unit union office.

Muyiwa, who, until his death, plied Akure-Oba-Ile, left a wife, who is carrying a seven- month-old pregnancy and three children. He was said to be going to Idanre, his hometown, to drop some items he bought for his pregnant wife when he was attacked.
An eye witness said when the unionists sighted the driver, picking passengers “illegally”, the task force
gave him a chase, overtook, stopped and challenged him. The altercation later resulted in a fight in which the task force men allgedly beat him with planks that resulted in his death on the spot.

Muyiwa’s elder sister, Mrs. Modupe Owoeye, said she was surprised to receive a call of the sudden death of his brother at about 11:30am on Friday. She disclosed that when she got to the scene of the incident, she was sad to find the lifeless body of his brother lying by the roadside.

According to her, instead of taking him to the nearby hospital, his attackers were watching him as he was dying gradually before he finally gave up the ghost: “Instead of them to say the truth, they claimed that an okada rider hit him with his motorcycle. Meanwhile, the okada said he saw them beating my brother and that they also hit him with planks.

“To my surprise and disappointment, the leaders of the union have only accepted to buy us a casket and bury my brother. You know what that suggests. They threatened that if we fail to accept their offer, we will be the losers. They claimed they know the governor and that the governor will ensure that the case is dismissed. I think the governor cannot do that because he is a human being. My fear is the way police are handling the matter.”

The aged parents of the deceased and his family members lamented that the police asked them to provide N15,000 for embalmment before the case would be attended to. His remains have been deposited in the mortuary for autopsy before burial.
Police, however, denied that the driver was beaten to death by the union members, insisting that Muyiwa was hit by an okada rider. The command spokesman, Adeniran Aremu (DSP), through the Divisional Police Officer, B Division, said “there is no iota of truth in the story of Muyiwa’s family.”

Branch chairman of the union was not available when our correspondent visited Idanre branch of the union while members of the union refused to talk on the incident .