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Commercial bus drivers plying the Seme Border to CMS route in Lagos have complained about extortion from transport unions, police and para-military officials.
They accused these officials of extorting N100 from each of their buses at each of the over 98 bus stops on that route, claiming that they are forced to cough up between N17,500 and N22,000 in illegal fees, daily.
The commercial bus drivers claim they pay N100 each at 98 bus stops, which at the end of work, they realize little or nothing, having resumed at 4am till 10pm.
According to them, policemen from Area K and Morogbo Police Station, who are often in large number, position themselves not too far from their station, issues various codes to every commercial bus after collecting money from the driver.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) confirms that the commercial bus drivers quickly comply with the extortion by the police officers on the road, to avoid being delayed unnecessarily.
The commercial bus drivers lamented that this is separate from the official N800 levy drivers in the state paid to the Lagos State Government.
It was gathered that following these extortions on commercial bus drivers, the passengers are made to bear the pain as transport fares are multiplied to enable them (commercial bus drivers) to meet up.
Drivers representing four associations in Badagry made the allegations when they paid a condolence visit to rights activist, Mrs. Joe Odumakin, over the death of her husband and former national publicity secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin.
Conferring an honour of Life Matron on Odumakin, they solicited her help against what they termed incessant extortion.
The associations, comprising Ibile Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria, Mega-City Drivers Welfare Association, Federal Mass Drivers Association and Korope Drivers Association, met Odumakin at her Ikeja, Lagos office.
Secretary, Mega-City Drivers Association, Ajimatanrareje Feyi, blamed the drivers’ plight on some officials of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Police, Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and other military and paramilitary outfits.