ORDEAL IN THE HANDS OF CHISCO TRANSPORT WORKERS

[Angela]

I just received this, and decided to make it public. Consumers beware.

Every help is also welcome

God bless

-------------

Comrade Michael Gbarale, South-South Vice-Chairman, People’s Action for Democracy (PAD) and South-South Coordinator, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL)
 
On Tuesday 3rd November, 2009. I received an invitation from the Chairman of COALITION AGAINST CORRUPT LEADERS (CACOL), Comrade Debo, Adeniran who doubled as the National Chairman of People’s Action for Democracy (PAD) where I served as the Vice-Chairman of the South-South Zone.
 
I was detailed to mobilize our Comrades from the South-South Geo-Political Zone to participate in a rally scheduled to hold on the 5th November, 2009 (Thursday) at Abuja.
 
As an affiliate organization to the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), we decided to yield to the clarion call for justice and sanity in our decaying leadership pattern.
 
On the 4th November, 2009, I mobilized the following Comrades who volunteered to participate in the program.
 
1.  Comr. Michael Gbarale
2.  Comr. Uche Chamberlain Onuigwe
3.  Comr. Friday John
4.  Comr. Sample Gbarale
5.  Comr. Lezor Nkara
6.  Comr. Baridakara Gbarale
7.  Comr. Richardson Ogwe
8.  Comr. Simple Kpeaue
9.  Comr. Ilosien Amiofori
10. Comr. Zorle Naabor
 
By 5.30pm, we were at Chisco Park, Ikwerre Road, Port Harcourt, where we met the cashier at the desk and bought Ten (10) tickets for ourselves for a night bus to Abuja that same night. The ten of us and other passengers were all loaded in a Chisco Bus No: KADUNA, XA 485 KRA and MR. NNANDI as the driver. 
 
Before departure, all the passengers religiously did praise, worship and prayer session. The bus finally took us out of the park at exactly 7.12pm. At about 11.00pm we arrived Akwu Ukwu where the bus that carried us broke down in the outskirt of the town. We were left stranded for about 5 hours with other passengers on board. At the climax of our frustration, we made several appeals that the driver and conductor briefed us on the next line of action. Rather, they were so rude with the passengers.   
 
All the passengers also requested that they provide us with another Chisco Bus through a contact with the Branch Manager. All our appeals proved abortive and fell on deaf ears.
 
Until we requested for the mobile phone number of the Manager of Chisco or the Director. After an intense pressure, the conductor reluctantly gave us the number of one Mr. Martins. Several phone calls were made to the Onitsha Branch Manager who continued to pay lips services to our noble request and dangerous situation. After more than four (4) hours, a mechanic was sent to repair the bus. While waiting, several other Chisco Buses passed the same route, but no serious effort was made to evacuate us from the dangerous zone. At this point, the only thing our conductor did was to pass parcels of letters and envelops from our own bus to one of the Chisco Buses as through there was no hope of furthering our journey. This single act of Chisco worker provoked all the passengers.
 
Suddenly, another Chisco Bus conveying passengers to Lagos came and we requested that other passengers who were going to Lagos join him. He said it was none of his business. Aggrieved by the nonchalant, unsympathetic, highhandedness and rude conducts, other passengers decided that the Chisco Bus will not continue its journey again, since injury to one is injury to all. It was later reasoned that keeping the bus is infringing on other passengers’ right and that they should go, but the driver said he was not going. He later carried a mat and pillow and slept on the road. While addressing this issue, I made myself clear that Chisco has never been reliable each time I patronize them and that was why we have fulfilled our own parts of the contract by paying our transport fares, Chisco Management has always failed in providing quality service to her teaming customers.
 
Finally, at about 4.50am we started journey again and at 5.30am, we arrived at Onitsha Chisco Park where other Buses were parked.
 
We alighted the bus only for our driver to inform us that he was not going to Abuja again that the engine of the bus was faulty. We immediately requested to be moved into another bus going to Abuja so as to meet up our various appointments at Abuja. While we demanded to meet with the Onitsha Branch Manager, we were told he was not on seat. At the moment, the mechanic that came with us has also disappeared. Another Chisco Bus from Owerri, was at the park. They were going to Lagos. The passengers going to Abuja were transferred from the Owerri to Lagos Bus to our faulty bus. We then requested that the management give us another bus or carry the passengers along with a mechanic. After series of phone calls between the manager and passengers, the mechanic re-appeared, and insisted on eating before going with us. Already, the driver has also uttered a statement that he was no more interest in the case. The mechanic reluctantly obliged to eat and this posed a tension as time was fast going against people’s appointments.
 
The Owerri Bus driver suddenly wanted to forcefully move from the park (Onitsha) but the buses parked could not allow him to move together with other passengers who requested that the Owerri driver should wait and ensure that every passenger’s safety and journey is secured before he moves. He tried to force his way out but the other passengers he dropped who were going to Abuja blocked his going out.
 
At that point, I left with few other Comrades to buy bread because for the past day, I have not eaten due to the nature of my wife’s health who has been in labour before I proceeded the journey. I was eating a slice of bread I bought when I received a lot slap from behind only to turn and discover it was the Owerri to Lagos Driver, I demanded for the reason but the atmosphere was tensed that almost every Chisco workers/officers were carrying iron/ weapons or the others. The very driver later entered his bus, brought out (2) heavy irons, threw one to his conductor and started hitting people. I decided to run towards the gate. What I heard later was a shout of “Armed robbers, thief! Thief!” I decided to return since I was not an armed robber.
 
At the front of the park, the driver told me, “You have been talking too much. You will die today”. Suddenly I heard a gun shot from the Chisco Security Officer. I was hit by the gun shot; also the driver and the conductors hit me with iron. I collapsed, fell on the ground. I later regained consciousness in the hands of other Comrades and a crowd – saying… “he is dead”, “they have killed him”, “they have ran away”. As I struggled in the pool of blood, there was no Chisco worker around, the Security who released the gun shot has ran away including the drivers.
 
I was carried by my fellow Comrades who approached the police very close to the park. The police simply said that I will survive that it was a locally made pistol (Okah) that we should look for a hospital. It was an Okada man who suggested PIETA HOSPITAL, a Catholic Hospital for us. The Police refused to accompany us to the hospital. It was an Okada man that God sent to save my life. The Okada man took us to the hospital and assisted my Comrades in carrying me to the hospital. Thank God for the Nurse who attended to me only after she demanded for an initial deposit of Five Thousand Naira (N5,000.00).   
 
All these transpired between 4.50am and 5.30am. Minutes later, I was hospitalized. Other passengers on board came to the hospital, a CID Man came, the Chisco Manager Onitsha Branch Mr. Dubem also came to the hospital. Somebody who also identified himself as a State Director of SSS also came to my bedside to sympathize with me, while we all waited for morning proper. I was later told by my cousin, Comrade Gbarale Sample that a Security Officer who was on the run came and said he was responsible for the shooting. The Chisco Manager was all around at the hospital uptill the X-tray Room, where he told me that he was there to carter for the bills. Other passengers were carried to the park to continue the journey while other Nine (9) Comrades and I were left at the hospital without hope of furthering our journey. Two of my Comrades, Kpea-ue Simple and Gbarale Sample, a Lawyer on board and the Security Man that release the bullet were carried to Awada Police Station to give statements.
 
The Chisco Management was not concern about my health. They quickly arranged for a mini bus (RTC) to take us back to Chisco, Port Harcourt and said that they will refund our transport fare to us in Port Harcourt to cover the mess.
 
We saw the hand of Esau, the State SCID in charge of the case promised to come back to obtain statement from me but never came and my health was deteriorating fast. I then called the Secretary of Civil Liberty Organization in Rivers State Comrade Justin Iheoma, who now called (C.L.O.), Secretary Anambra State Justice Ijeoma who responded promptly with another very committed Comrade called Alex Olisa. The Police delayed till later in the day and left the 10 of us hungry, frustrated and dejected at the hospital. Up till 4pm in the evening, the case has not been incidented. At this point, it was clearly written on the wall that the Chisco Manager had collaborated with the Police Officers to frustrate us in Onitsha.           
 
At this point, the C.L.O. Anambra State launched into action. CLO Comrades put us into a bus from the PIETA Hospital to Awada Police Station. There, we met the DPO who said the case has not been officially incidented. At the Police Statin, with the help of the DPO and the CLO Comrades, the matter was later transferred from Awada to Area Command, Okpoko Police Station. We all went to the Area Command including the Chisco Security Officer who internationally shot me. At the Police Station, the Chisco Manager continued to gamble with my life, insisted that we move to Port Harcourt not minding the seriousness of my bad health. At this time, I was loosing strength faster, with blunt sight. Another appeal for statements from other two Comrades, Comr. Kpea-us Simple and Gbarale Sample was stressed. The finished the statements and the new I.P.O at the Okpoko Police State later recommended a Hospital that specializes in gun shot for proper medical treatment: Multicare Hospital.   
 
On getting to the hospital that evening the Thursday, 5/11/2009, in company of the Inspector that is the new IPO and Chisco Managers (Port Harcourt and Onitsha), we met the resident doctor, Dr. Charles, Dr. Charles. The IPO introduced me as a passenger who was shot at Chisco Security together with other passengers who were also threatened and molested.
 
After a close examination, the doctor discovered that due to a poor stitching by the Nurse of PIETA Hospital, my head was swollen, and a severe pains in my tooth and head. He decided that I should be hospitalized to allow him re-examine my condition. He diagnosed the wounds and did a more professional stitching. Other Ten (10) Comrades left for a hotel where they personally paid the bills and carter for their expenses till morning. What a pain, what neglect by Chisco management! The manager never cared to asked whether we ate or not, they did not border to ask where we were going to sleep in far away Onitsha.
 
At 9am on Friday, 6/11/2009, they were back at the hospital to offset by hospital bills. The doctor later gave us a letter referring me to Braithwaite Memorial Hospital (BMH), Port Harcourt for further treatment. With the assistance from the Civil Liberty Organization (C.L.O.), we took another bus since the bus the company brought yesterday said he was not taking us again) to Okpoko Police Station only to discover that the I.P.O. and one other Supol have been manipulated by Chisco Management. The Supol bluntly told us that we cannot go to Port Harcourt except we do two (2) things: that I must give statements and somebody must apply to the Police Command for transfer of Patient. We pleaded that the Refer letter from Dr. Charles serves this purpose since I was so tired to speak nor write. They were not concern about my bad/critical state of health and other Nine (9) passengers, who have not eaten since yesterday. They kept us there again, no journey to Abuja, did not release us to Port Harcourt to go about our usual businesses. It was a complete two (2) days of loss, humiliation, torture, and threats to life. What the management did was to bring all touts from Onitsha to come and pour all threats on us. Onitsha was no more safe for us. We reported the threats to life to the officers at the Police Station but it seems Chisco Company was a demigod who has bought justice into her pocket.
 
We pleaded that the Police allow us go to Port Harcourt since I could not talk and let me not die in Onitsha; they refused. Not until one of the Comrades gave statement at the Station, Comrade Gbarale Sample was forced to apply for transfer of patient. This was due to my deteriorating state of health.
 
Chisco then called all the Ten (10) of us including the representative of Civil Liberty Organization (CLO) and the IPO and Supol and addressed us. Chisco Company, through the Manager (Onitsha), said they have concluded that:
 
1. They arranged for bus to take us to Port Harcourt.
 
2. They will refund us our ticket fare we paid in Port Harcourt. That by 2pm on Saturday, 7/11/2009, we should all come back to Chisco, Port Harcourt to collect the money back.
 
3. That since the Port Harcourt Manager would not travel with us, by 2pm we should all be at Chisco Port Harcourt to collect our transport fare and he will personally take the major victim, Michael Gbarale to BMH, Port Harcourt for further treatment.
 
CLO and behold they took us to RTC Park, Okpoko where we boarded a bus to Port Harcourt. That was the end of Chisco. They started their insincerity and humiliation again. We got to Port Harcourt very late on Friday, Chisco never called to know my State of Health.
 
At 2pm on Saturday, we were at Chisco Port Harcourt as agreed. In their usual way, Chisco Manager, Mr. Adedeji was not around. When we called him he simply said we should wait. We waited through out Saturday again, he never came. None of the Company staff agreed to attend to us. It was another moment of frustration, breach of contract, man-inhumanity to man. We decided to go back to our houses. Sunday not a call/visit from Chisco. Monday no call till later in the evening when my pain was at the peak, again that I decided to contact Chisco Manager, Mr. Adedeji. He was at another drama, he would not pick my calls. When he tried to pick he said he was on his way and later I did not hear from him again.
 
Meanwhile, my health continues to be critical. I lost sight, severe pain in my teeth and complete weakness of the body since I lost much blood and in spite of the Doctor’s recommendation for serious and urgent medication, Chisco who had wished me dead through her workers was out to see their wish come to pass.  What a torture, what a mental torture? We were psychologically tortured, physically humiliated, our purpose of traveling to Abuja was crippled by the wicked acts of this murderers and criminals without any remorse for it. Chisco has not only left a permanent scar on my employment bits since with this scar on my face people would always look at me like a criminal. Yet, Chisco does not care.     
 
The state of my health deteriorated when I got to Braithwaite Memorial hospital, Port Harcourt. I developed a severe toothache that the Doctor at BMH, Port Harcourt, referred me to a Dental Hospital where one of my teeth was removed. As a result of the several hitings I received from the workers, I also had a rib problem. Which I suspect to be internal bleeding. Though am on medication, the pains persist.
 
As I give this report, my business has been paralyzed for about two (2) weeks. My wife and the new born baby that was delivered 7 hours after the incident are passing through difficult times.
 
Chisco Company has succeeded in frustrating my entire life. My life saving has been expended into medical treatment without an assistance from the company that put me into this mess.
 
A video clip of the threatre operations at PIETA HOSPITAL AND MULTICARE SPECIALIST HOSPTIAL respectively shall be forwarded in due course when full developed.
 
While I regret the patronage I gave Chisco Transport Company, I am appealing to concern citizens of Nigeria to help me and save my life. Let justice be done in this case and save the life of other Nigerians from the hands of this murderers hiding under the disguise of Transport Company.
 
I have spent the little money I have for the past eleven (11) days only to come back to good health but with little or no sign of attain in that height. The situation gets worse by the day. I am calling on non-governmental organizations, well-meaning Nigerians and Human Rights Lawyers to save me from the hands of these monsters called Chisco Transport Company.
   
COMR. MICHAEL GBARALE
(Major Victim) 08038897006
 
 
For an on-behalf of other Nine (9) victims