Commercial shuttle bus drivers in Owerri, Imo State, staged a strike on Tuesday to protest alleged harassment and extortion by government agents over the use of factory-fitted sunshade glasses.
The protest led to widespread chaos and hardship as transportation across the city came to a halt, forcing residents, including students and workers, to walk long distances in the rain.
The aggrieved drivers accused the Imo Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO) and other officials of impounding their vehicles and demanding up to ₦70,000 for their release, despite the sunshades being factory-installed and not tinted. In retaliation, they enforced the strike by halting other commercial operations, leaving commuters stranded and exacerbating the situation. ENTRACO, however, denied involvement in the enforcement, clarifying that the action was based on Governor Hope Uzodimma’s directive aimed at curbing crime linked to tinted vehicles.
The government stated that the crackdown involves a multi-agency enforcement team and was initiated after intelligence reports linked tinted or sunshade-equipped vehicles to crimes such as kidnapping and robbery. Despite these security concerns, the drivers argue they are being unfairly targeted. Clashes between protesters and enforcement agents have been reported, and transportation remains largely suspended, with citizens urging immediate government intervention to end the crisis.
