BY KAYODE ANIMSAUN
Vehicular movement along Benin – Sagamu expressway was yesterday paralysed for many hours following a protest by members of the flitchers association of Nigeria in Ondo state over alleged extortion by officials of the Ogun State government .
Our correspondent reports that the gridlock lasted about two hours making commuters stranded while the protest lasted
Armed with placards with various inscriptions, the aggrieved flitchers barricaded the popular Ore road along Ajebamidele area which is the boundary between Ondo and Ogun State.
The protesters said they could no longer tolerate extortion by revenue collectors from Ogun state.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters ,Mr Mayegun Oloruntobi frowned at the way their lorries were being seized by the Ogun state forest guards.
The protesters however gave seven days ultimatum for the Ogun state government to address the alleged extortion, calling on governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state to prevail on his Ogun counterpart Mr Dapo Abiodun to call the forest officials to order.
In a reaction , Ogun state commissioner for forestry, Mr Tunji Akinosi said though there might be bad eggs among his officers, flitching is illegal in Ogun state and government would look into their agitations
He said “In ondo state, Flitches may be legal but in Ogun, it is illegal.We don’t allow flitches in Ogun state and we have decided that any vehicle seized would no longer be released any longer. ”