A commercial tricycle operator, identified as Mr. Friday Ani, has reportedly died following an altercation with revenue enforcement personnel at the Garriki Terminal in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Ani, said to be in his early 50s and a father of five, reportedly died on the night of Wednesday, September 30, 2026, after he was allegedly assaulted during a dispute at the terminal.
The incident triggered protests by hundreds of tricycle operators in the Garriki area on Thursday morning, October 1, disrupting commercial activities and forcing some transport parks in surrounding areas to temporarily shut down.
According to accounts cited by SaharaReporters, the dispute reportedly began after a passenger travelling with Ani alighted outside the terminal. The circumstances surrounding the confrontation, however, remain contested.
One source, identified as Chika Emeh, alleged that members of a task force deployed to enforce daily ticket payments assaulted Ani, with one of the officials allegedly hitting him on the head, causing him to collapse.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Enugu State also alleged that Ani was attacked by a member of the Garriki Terminal task force after a passenger he was carrying alighted outside the terminal.
In a statement, the opposition party condemned the death and called for a prompt and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The NDC said Ani hailed from Umuatugbuoma, Akegbe-Ugwu, in Nkanu West Local Government Area, and that his remains had been deposited at St. Martin’s Mortuary in Enugu.
Reacting to the death, Sir Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa expressed condolences to Ani’s wife, children, relatives and the wider tricycle operators’ community.
The NDC further called on the Enugu State Government to review the activities of revenue enforcement personnel and demanded that anyone found culpable in Ani’s death be prosecuted.
The party also urged the Nigeria Police Force to conduct its investigation professionally and impartially.
However, as of the time of filing this report, the Enugu State Police Command had not publicly confirmed the circumstances of Ani’s death or identified anyone as responsible. Attempts by SaharaReporters to obtain an official response from the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, were reportedly unsuccessful.
The development has heightened concerns over tensions between commercial transport operators and revenue enforcement personnel in parts of Enugu State.
By Enitan Mudashiru | MUK TV News
