Calabar tricycle operators protest high ticket rates

2026-03-05 - 16:17

...Demand End to Unauthorized Taskforces By Ike Uchechukwu, CALABAR Commercial tricycle operators, popularly known as keke drivers, staged a protest on Thursday in Calabar, Cross River State, over exorbitant daily ticket rates and the activities of unauthorized taskforces in the metropolis. The demonstrators blocked the busy Orok Orok Roundabout, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill and causing heavy traffic gridlock in the area. Motorists were forced to seek alternative routes, while movement along adjoining roads, including Goldie, Orok Orok, and Etta Agbor, was also disrupted. Protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “No More Tickets Till Further Notice” and “Stop the High Ticket Rates,” demanding a reduction in daily levies, which they alleged ranged from N600 to N1,200 depending on the route. Ekanem Uko, one of the operators, said the high ticket rates, coupled with commissions at city roundabouts, annual renewal fees, and harassment by task forces, had made it difficult for drivers to break even amid rising fuel and spare part costs. “Task forces go the extra mile to extort from us. We need urgent intervention to ease our operational burdens,” Uko said. Officials of the Cross River State Police Command intervened promptly to prevent the protest from turning violent and to restore order. As of press time, there had been no official response from government authorities regarding the keke operators’ demands. The demonstration follows a similar protest by minibus drivers last week over task force activities in Calabar, which led the state government to suspend all task forces targeting minibus operators. The tricycle operators are calling for an immediate dialogue with relevant authorities to resolve their grievances.