A radio house in Asaba, Delta state capital, Trend FM, was thrown into commotion yesterday when a top official of the Delta State Traffic Management Authourity( DESTMA) stormed the station and shut it down over a live report on an alleged recklessness of DESTMA wardens, otherwise known as “Okowa Police”
The traffic incident that culminated in the invasion of the radio home involved a school bus of Banita International School in Asabavwhich was held up at about 7:30 am by DESTMA wardens at the very busy NTA junction along Okpanam road.
According to eyewitness report, the school children sent out of the bus by the recalcitrant DESTMA wardens and made to sit on roadside pavement , while the traffic wardens made attempts to force out the bus driver and arrest the bus for unverified traffic violation.
Recounting the incident, the News Editor of Trend FM, Mrs Ijeoma Uba said “I did a live report at about 8:20 am at NTA junction where DESTMA officials had a problem with Banita School Bus. I reported that there was a big traffic jam and I can see pupils of a private school sitting on the road and looked forlorn.
“I learnt the driver was having problem with DESTMA officials according to an eyewitness who gave us an account of how it happened. I also took one of the parents of the pupils who were alerted of what happened and she was hysterical.
“Before I signed off, I said we couldn’t speak with DESTMA official because they were not on ground at the time of the report. Ten minutes later, the DESTMA Director of operation stormed my office causing commotion and even bystanders took photos of his action,” the radio editor explained.
Mrs Uba said the DESTMA operations director scolded her that “I shouldn’t have done the report at all without coming to DESTMA as the report embarrassed the traffic authority and state government.”
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