TRANSITFAVOUR –MOT FUED: Ntukudeh may be arrested

* We’re awaiting his arrest warrant – Police
* We will not watch him kill our son’s            business – Uyo Elders

The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Transport Mr. Godwin Ntukudeh may be on his way to jail as police in the state have been put on red alert to arrest the man as soon as the court warrant to that effect is received.

This follows the commissioner’s contemptuous treatment of an Uyo High Court judgment delivered in January 2014 by Justice Pius Idiong restraining the Commissioner, the Ministry of transport and their agents from intimidating or harassing private park operators for any reason as the ministry lacks lawful powers to regulate park operation in the state, according to the 2007 Local Government (Administration) law. 

The Ink newspaper learns that despite the judgment which the ministry did not appeal, the ministry has continued to disrupt the operation of private park owners in the name of trying to “push everybody into the general motor parks”. 

It was against this background that transitfavour services, a leading transport company in the state went to court to enforce the judgment of the Uyo High Court against the embattled commissioner and the Ministry of transport after the latter had sent thugs to disrupt their operations on October 13 this year during which they looted the office and staff of the company and made away with ten of their buses which are being parked at the former AKTC terminus along Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo. 

According to the Managing Director of the transport outfit, Mr. Uwemedimo Essen, the company is praying the court to compel the ministry to obey the court judgment which makes it illegal for the ministry or her commissioner or agents to harass them for any reason whatever. 

“We’re calling on the court to enforce its judgment which was given in our favour and to declare as illegal and uncalled for the confiscation of our vehicles as well as the continued intimidation and harassment of us by Ntukudeh and his thugs. We are also claiming N10 million in damages as we have suffered huge losses in revenue due to our being dispossessed of 10 of our buses which would have been of tremendous use at this time of the year when travel business is usually at its peak,” the MD lamented. 

Ntukdeh has stepped on many toes since he became commissioner for transport because of his selfishness, greed and over-zealousness. This has put him in one trouble after another with groups and individuals.

It would be recalled, for instance, that the same Godwin Ntukudeh was summoned to appear before the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to explain the reason for the non-payment of compensation benefits to land owners at the various government Moto park sites even when such monies have been approved and released. 

This time around it looks like there will be no hiding place for the Uruan born mafia as the police is already oiling their machines waiting for the court to give the signal to take him into custody. Police chiefs who spoke with our reporter at the state Police Headquarters Ikot Akpan Abia, say that Ntukudeh has no immunity as a commissioner and so it would not take them anything to put him behind bars as soon as the warrant from the court is received. 

Our reporter also reports that the passion and interest with which police and lawyers spoke in connection with this issue is a possible indication that Ntukudeh has acquired more enemies than friends as a result of his greed and overzealousness.

Meanwhile, the Elders of Uyo have risen in support of their son, saying that any further intimidation of their son would be taken as Uruan inviting Uyo to war. Some influential elders of Uyo who spoke with the INK Newspapers say Udom should call Ntukudeh to order as they would not fold their arms and watch Ntukudeh kill Transitfavour as he killed Promise Land Travels.