What seems to be a recurring decimal between policemen and drivers of articulated vehicles occurred in Apapa, Lagos, mid last week. A  policeman attached to a bank allegedly killed a petrol tanker driver over a parking row that degenerated into violence, and a mob attacked two banks in a reprisal.

A report on the incident claimed that refusal to hand over the trigger-happy cop to the mob for jungle justice after he fled into one of the banks led to the arson attacks.

The excesses of truck drivers on major roads, especially in the Apapa ports axis, have been a source of concern to relevant authorities and other road users in recent times. They have become a law unto themselves on major highways. They defy the authorities and whenever the law is enforced, they hold the entire country to ransom through strikes and blockage of the highways.

Attempts to enforce the law often create frictions between them and security agents. A major source of the recalcitrance exhibited by the truck drivers is the fact that the bulk of these trucks are owned by serving and retired military and police officers as well as highly-placed politicians and civil servants who offer the drivers protection from the law.

Though they provide essential services to the economy, these drivers are not above the law.  NUPENG and other unions they belong to should call them to order. Ability to control the excesses of members is a pillar of responsible and patriotic unionism.  The unions owe Nigerians the duty of educating their members on the need to be law abiding instead of making life miserable for other road users by grounding economic activities.

We call on the law enforcement agencies to curb the excesses of their officers and withdraw trigger-happy officers from duty. We condemn any act of extra-judicial killing as a form of law enforcement.  Police authorities must do more to reduce the frequent killing of members of the public by their officers. It is a complete negation of the mandate of the Police, which is to maintain law and order.

It is sad that the two banks had to bear the rage of the mobs. We commend the officials of the banks for protecting the policeman who took refuge in one of the banks. They did the right thing and should be duly compensated for their losses. However, the Policeman who allegedly killed the tanker driver should be made to face the wrath of the law.

We call on NUPENG and the police authorities to continue to educate their members and officers on the need to approach volatile cases like this through lawful due process.