Owners cum operators of luxury buses have cried out against alleged extortion which they are daily subjected to by security agencies at roadblocks and checkpoints on highways in the country.
Raising the alarm under the eagis of Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON), the group accused the security agents of extorting between N2,000, N5,000, up to N10,0000 from their members despite their compliance with COVID-19 protocols and reduction of number of passengers.
In a petition to Inspector General of Police signed by the Chairman, National Taskforce of ALBON, Chief Joseph Ejiofor and titled, “SOS: Excessive Extortions by Security Agencies at Road Blocks cripple Commercial Vehicle Transportation in the face of COVID-19 pandemic”, the drivers asked that the raid blocks on nation’s highways be dismantled.
The group disclosed that its members lost billions of naira to the pandemic for the four months they did not operate due to inter-state travel restriction.
Read the petition interallia: “Commercial vehicle road users observe the rule of social distancing by reducing the number of passengers boarding their vehicles such as; Sienna from 7 to 5, Hummer bus from 15 to 9, Coaster bus from 33 to 20, Luxury bus from 52 to 25, then 59 luxury bus to 30 and Salon car from 4 to 3 passengers.
“The security agencies especially the police created additional obstacles at the road blocks/check points, the huge sum of money they are extorting from us are militating against the free movement of passengers, goods and services nationwide.
“The security agencies collect N2,000, N5,000 and N10,000 per check-point depending on the type of vehicle.
“There are about 25 road check points from Port Harcourt to Kano. They are frustrating our operation since re-opening of borders. If any driver failed to pay, they would beat the driver up and park the vehicles for hours or even days until the driver complied and pay under compulsion.
“The worst of it was the Benin-city/Okada axis of Lagos route where a driver who refused to pay had his legs and hands tied with rope inside his vehicle while his passengers were discharged and his bus impounded.
“We are appealing to Federal Government for bail-out for commercial vehicle road transportation companies. We are for the economic rejuvenation of the nation in the wake of COViD-19 pandemic.
“We provide livelihood for millions of Nigerians and lift them out of extreme poverty. We are the wheel upon which the economic progress of the nation moves. We need your utmost support”.
