Our members are not Criminals-Chairman, TASCOTMA
Jethro Yerga, Jalingo
The chairman, Taraba State Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Association, (TASCOTMA), Alh. A. Bello has debunked allegations making around in different quarters that members of TASCOTMA are the major people responsible for the various heinous crimes being experience in Taraba State especially in Jalingo, the state capital in the recent times.
Ah. Bello, while interacting with journalists in Jalingo, said the baseless allegations are calculated attempts by enemies to incite authorities and the general public to sabotage the activities of over twenty thousand youth (20) who are self-employed looking for their 3 square meal daily in the state.
He stated that those perpetrating such allegations cannot in any way, supply verifiable facts that can guarantee conviction of their claims in any way.
“There is a claim currently in all the social media that about sixty (60) people were killed by some of our members in Jalingo. I was surprised when I came across this baseless claim. The writer of this piece did not mention the spot and the names of the people involved in those incidence.
“As a matter of fact, all Tricycle (KEKE NAPEP) are been registered with P T Numbers, so he would have at least, identified one out of the sixty (60) incidents he mentioned. One of the victims in his write-up whom he stated was discovered with some of his parts removed, was a taxi driver who was chattered and was killed along the line, not a Keke operator.
“Also, the case of the married woman with her son reported to have been killed is also not true. Because after our thorough investigation, we discovered that the keke operator actually alighted her at the exact spot where he was asked to by her husband. But the woman who was actually running away from her husband because of their misunderstanding, went and hide somewhere for weeks and the news that came out was that she was killed by the Keke boy. Thank God, our Union has taken the matter up to protect the integrity of our members”. He narrated.
The chairman noted that the union under his leadership has embarked on serious reforms to help curtail activities of criminals who have infiltrated the system to destroy the good image of the law abiding members of the association.
According to him, the union has Prohibited two riders in one tricycle at a time to avoid attacking passengers. It has also returned all members to their various units (Park) for easy identification when the need arises and has made it mandatory for all members to install white inner light in their tricycles to be use from 6:00pm to 9:00 pm.
The chairman also stated that the union has given all members a period of one month to increase the size of their PT Numbers behind their Tricycles for easy identification just as it has also inaugurated four committees with twelve persons each who are saddle with the responsibility of Checkmating the activities of the Members day and night.
While advising social media users to always have verified facts before making any write up, Bello also appealed to security agencies, government authorities and the general public to join the association with their necessary supports to enable it get rid of criminal elements who have infiltrated the system.
Recall that there have been several allegations of missing of persons in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital in the recent times.
Some of the reports held that those whose dead bodies were recovered had some of their vital parts, like private organs and eyes removed, suggesting that the missing Persons, some of whom are students, were used for rituals.
