Frontline human rights defender and president of One Love Foundation, Chief Patrick Eholor has lambasted cement companies in Nigeria, including BUA Group and Dangote Group, over the incessant killing of Nigerians by their trucks on the roads.
Eholor, who spoke to Jungle-Journalist.Com in tears, also chastised the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki and the Minster of Roads and Transport, Mr Raji Fashola. He also called out the lawmakers representing Auchi Federal Constituency Edo North Senatorial District and the member representing Auchi at the Edo State House of Assembly. He described them as failures for failing to make the roads safe for Edo State citizens, especially those in Auchi all the years that cement trucks have killed citizens, and for not making laws preventing the trucks from killing thr people.. He called on Fashola to as a matter of urgency, begin the dualisation of Auchi – Benin expressway, and threatened to begin a nationwide protest to drive his points home.
Eholor, who cried bitterly while speaking to our correspondent on the phone said; “If Dangote has bragged about being the richest man in Africa, he should so be able to brag that his trailers are road worthy and don’t kill innocent people. Dangote’s trailers are the ones that used to kill and now BUA has joined them.
“These BUA trucks and Dangote trucks have constituted too many killings in Edo State, way too many. I am angry. I am aggrieved, I am in pains.
“Our leaders have failed us by not doing enough to protect our citizens. Why should any Edo citizen die because of a truck? If BUA or Dangote trucks are not roadworthy, then ban them from our roads. If they are not fit to run on Edo roads, if in the long run, live are lost because of their presence, then they should never be on our roads. What is the worth of one Edo citizen that we should die for the sake of cement bags?
“Our governments and our leaded have failed us very woefully. I am calling out the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, I am cling out the House of Assembly member representing that area. I am calling out the House of Representatives member representing Auchi, and I am calling out the Senator representing Edo North. I am also calling out the failed Minister of Roads and Transport, Mr Raji Fashola.
“They all have failed us. The Auchi-Benin expressway is supposed to have bee dualised a long time ago.
“If no action is taken against these cement truck murderers, I am going to launch a nationwide protest against these companies and the government representatives that have refused to take action to make them perform. I am Patriot Patrick Eholor, the Ultimate Equals, and I will never rest until the right things are done.