Some of the public vehicle drivers operating in lower Shabelle region went on strike

The drivers and owners of the public vehicles operating between the roads linking towns of lower Shabelle to protest against the numerous illegal checkpoints that have been springing up in the Lower Shabelle region.

Businessmen, merchants, students and residents headed to different towns were left stuck today as there was few means of transportation available.

Minibus drivers said that they wouldn’t drive until this issue was resolved. “Enough is enough. This has been going on for far too long” said one bus driver who spoke to Goobjoog News.

“It’s ridiculous; it has become unsafe for anybody. They loot and plunder everything at those checkpoints. I come back empty handed at the end of the day, I’m not making any income, so why should I continue driving and risk losing my life?” he further commented.

Many areas under government control have been plagued by illegal checkpoints set up armed militias who extort, rob and even rape.

What’s however more intriguing is that many eyewitnesses testify to the fact that a lot of these armed men are seen wearing the Somali military uniform.

One local resident who declined his name claims that soldiers who were sent to the area to remove the illegal checkpoints have joined in the robbing at the checkpoints.

“They were sent here to crush these crimes and remove these illegal checkpoints, instead we have seen a lot of them standing at those very same checkpoints they were sent to remove” he claimed.