On Tuesday, commercial motorcycle operators, known as Achaba, protested against what they called ongoing harassment by Vehicle Inspection Officers, or VIOs, disrupting social and commercial activities for several hours in the city of Bauchi.
The riders complained that the clampdown was ruining their livelihoods and that their motorcycles were routinely seized because they lacked valid licenses, body numbers, and registration plates.
Hundreds of motorcycle riders defiantly rode through major roads while yelling slogans and calling for an end to what they described as “harsh enforcement measures.”
According to the BASEMEDIA, riders gathered at key locations, such as the city gate in Bauchi, causing traffic jams in some areas of the city.
According to witnesses, demonstrators blocked traffic on Ahmadu Bello Way, Yandoka Road, Yakubun Bauchi Road, and Bauchi–Jos Road, bringing commuters and drivers to a complete halt.
Some of the riders claimed that transporting motorcycles was still their only source of income and warned that the ongoing crackdown was making their financial difficulties worse. Although no violence was reported, security personnel were observed keeping an eye on the demonstration to prevent it from getting out of control.
Law enforcement and the Bauchi State Government had not yet released an official statement regarding the protest as of the time of publication.
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