The strike by Keke-Napep drivers – which started on Wednesday − has left residents dead on their feet.

The tricycle drivers are protesting against “harassment” by public officials.

They said revenue officials had increased daily taxes and had even asked to see the drivers’ licences, which was not part of their job.

But the “peaceful protest” has left many residents of Maiduguri stranded.

Ya Kolo Ba’ana said she had to walk 3km to get from Arinmari to Monday Market. Normally she would take a tricycle taxi.

Many other residents said there was nothing they could do. They had to walk to work or to the shops − or stay stranded at home.

Resident Ali Mustapha said some tricycle drivers in London Ciki and Ngomari Costin had destroyed a revenue collector’s car and another was nearly killed when angry youths attacked him. He was saved when police intervened.

Mustapha said the government needed to investigate to avoid the chaos caused by the strikers.

“I had to escort my family from Kawar Maila to the post office where they could get a bus to  travel to Yobe State for a funeral. The strike has really hit us hard,” Mustapha said.

Bukar Modu, the secretary of the tricycle drivers’ association in Borno State, said he was not aware of the strike and he would investigate the matter.

Muhammed Grema, a tricycle driver who refused to join the strike, said: “I need the money. I have to work to put food on my table and that’s why I decided not to join the protest.”

He said many residents of Maiduguri were very poor, adding that the public officials should help to make life easier and not more difficult for those living in poverty.

But, he said, the protesters should not take the law into their hands, especially some of the youth who were angry about the revenue collectors demanding to see tricycle drivers’ licences and who had attacked the officials.

Many of Keke-Napap drivers believed they should have been given notice a month or two in advance so that they could have complied with the regulations.

Some residents agreed that public officials should investigate tricycle drivers. They said there were under-age people operating the Keke-Napep and many had caused accidents. They claimed some of the tricycle drivers had even stolen from them.