The Heavy Trucks arm of the National Union of Road Transport Workers has called on President Bola Tinubu-led federal government and security agencies to halt the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, whom they accuse of wreaking havoc on their members plying the South-Eastern states.

The union also warned that if the aforementioned group’s criminal activities are not checked, it may have no option but to withdraw its services from the region.

The truck drivers have accused IPOB of killing scores of its members servicing the South-East region of the country, destroying many of their trucks, and carting away goods they were carrying—for no reason.

Briefing journalists in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Sunday, Jafar Abubakar, speaking on behalf of the State Coordinator of Heavy Truck Drivers, Junedu Ahmad Zaki, alleged that between January and December 2024, they had lost over 50 of their members as a result of the heinous acts of IPOB.

“It is with a heavy heart that we address you today on the continued killing of our members and the destruction and burning of our trucks by gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in the South-East of Nigeria.”

According to him, “For the past eight years, truck drivers from northern Nigeria have been consistently targeted, killed, and had their trucks destroyed or burned while transporting goods to the South-East.

“We are still trying to understand what offense we have committed to deserve this kind of barbaric killing.

“The frequency and severity of these attacks have reached alarming levels, with over 50 drivers lost, many still missing, and hundreds of trucks either burned, damaged, or forcefully taken away from drivers.

“Goods, including cattle, perishable items, and grains, are deliberately burned, destroyed, and stolen by the perpetrators on a daily basis,” they decried.

Speaking further, the drivers lamented that, “Between January and December 2024 alone, in the communities of Okigwe, Isoche, and Ehobey local government areas of Imo State, more than 20 drivers were brutally killed, and their trucks were either burned or damaged.

“During these incidents, some corpses were recovered, while others remain missing,” the group further lamented.

“Another sad incident occurred on January 28, 2025, when four drivers, including Haruna Jibril, Bala Muhammad, Dalladi Jafaru, and Auwal Muhammad, carrying tomatoes to Port Harcourt, were attacked between Lobanta community in Imo State and Umuahia in Abia State. All four drivers were killed, and the goods in their trucks were offloaded.

“The perpetrators, after offloading the tomatoes, filmed the empty truck and sent the videos to us to confirm that they had killed the victims. When we called them on the phone to release the bodies of the victims, they told us that we should forget about them.

“Soon after the recent incident, we reported it to the Police Area Command in Okigwe. We also reported it to the DSS office in Okigwe. Thereafter, we reported the incident to the military camp in Okigwe and the police headquarters in Imo. Up to this moment, we have not heard the whereabouts of their corpses and the trucks.

“Just yesterday, suspected IPOB members in the Four Corner community of Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State opened fire on a truck carrying perishable items heading to Port Harcourt. Luckily, the driver and his assistants survived the attack.

“These sad incidents continue unabated without any serious move to stop them.

“The most dangerous axis within the region includes Enugu to Lobanta, Lobanta to Okigwe, and Okigwe to Umuahia in Abia State. Our lives are always in danger when we reach these points.

“The fear of being attacked and killed is always palpable, making it difficult for us to carry out our lawful business without anxiety,” the drivers further lamented.

“The destruction of trucks and property worth billions of naira has caused economic hardship and instilled fear among our members, making it difficult for us to carry out our lawful businesses within the five states of the region.

“As Nigerian citizens, we believe we have the right to move freely and engage in legitimate businesses without fear of persecution.

“We call on the federal government, particularly President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defense Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector General of Police, to take drastic measures to put an end to these senseless killings and the destruction of property.

Adding that, “This level of brutality and disregard for human life is unacceptable, and we demand justice for our members.

“We demand that the government conduct a thorough investigation to identify those responsible for these heinous crimes and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.

“We also demand that the federal and state governments of the affected states increase security presence along affected routes to prevent further attacks on northern truck drivers and create a safer environment for truck drivers to operate. This will allow drivers to move freely without fear or intimidation.

“However, as law-abiding citizens, we will continue to advocate for our rights and the protection of our members until justice is served.

“We are drawing the attention of the federal government to the fact that the activities of IPOB are a threat to sustainable peace in the country.

“If these atrocities continue, we will have no option but to suspend the transportation of goods to the South-East. It is high time the government rose to the occasion,” the drivers warned.

Stop IPOB from killing our members or we’ll withdraw our services – Truck drivers to Nigerian govt