Travellers journeying across Nigeria for the Christmas festivities have raised fresh alarm over widespread extortion by hoodlums posing as local government officials on major highways, particularly along the busy Lagos–Onitsha Expressway.
Motorists plying the eastern corridor say criminal gangs have taken over strategic sections of the highway, mounting illegal roadblocks where they harass drivers, demand non-existent radio licences, and impose arbitrary fines under threats of violence and vehicle seizure.
Victims identified key extortion hotspots to include Ore in Ondo State, Benin City in Edo State, Asaba in Delta State, and the Onitsha Head Bridge in Anambra State. Disturbingly, families travelling home for the yuletide season said these activities often occur in full view of security operatives, including police officers stationed at nearby checkpoints.
A Lagos-based nurse travelling with her family to Imo State in a private Sienna bus narrated her ordeal at what the hoodlums described as a “customs checkpoint” in Asaba.
According to her, about seven poorly dressed young men blocked their vehicle and demanded a radio licence from the driver, who said he was unaware of such a requirement.
“They yanked open the driver’s door, dragged him out and threatened to impound our vehicle if he failed to produce a radio licence. We had children with us, and the sun was scorching. Despite our pleas, they deflated our tyres and forced our vehicle off the highway,” she recounted.
She added that several other vehicles were similarly forced off the busy road by the hoodlums, who could not present any form of identification.
“Some of us approached policemen at a nearby checkpoint to complain, but to our shock, they brushed us aside, saying, ‘We are doing our work and they are doing their work.’ Our pleas, especially from those of us travelling with children, were ignored. Eventually, we were forced to pay money to continue our journey.
“Some motorists paid N45,000, others N35,000 or N20,000, depending on how much they could negotiate. After payment, we were given a phone number to call if stopped again. But a few kilometres ahead, we were intercepted by another group. When we called the number, no one answered, and we had no option but to pay again,” she said.
She noted that motorists who resisted were punished, with their tyres deflated and vehicles pushed off the highway, leaving passengers stranded for hours.
Another victim, a Lagos-based businessman, Mazi Ukadike, said the extortionists targeted both commercial and private vehicles indiscriminately.
He explained that some motorists managed to escape only if their windows were fully wound up, while others had their vehicles damaged with sticks and cudgels.
“They force drivers with open windows to stop, drag them out and threaten to impound their vehicles unless they produce radio licences or pay fines. We were stopped while entering Asaba because our windows were down since we were not using the air conditioner.
“They aggressively demanded a radio licence. When we said we didn’t understand what they meant, they pushed my driver out, took over the steering and drove the car onto a rough road off the highway to negotiate money.
“They initially demanded N45,000. After pleading, we paid N35,000. Like others, they gave us phone numbers to call if stopped again. These were the numbers given to us: 09137214004 (John) and 08138755192 (Ifeanyi),” he said.
A Benin City–based security expert, Mr. Kingsley Osa, described the situation as a long-standing problem worsened by official neglect.
“This is not new. These extortion points have existed for years, but the police and other security agencies have failed to effectively checkmate their excesses. In many cases, they are sponsored by corrupt local government officials who use them to settle political thugs.
“There was a time police headquarters in Abuja publicly condemned the practice and warned that tough action would be taken against anyone blocking highways under this guise. Unfortunately, nothing came of it. Today, they are everywhere on our highways and appear to be above the law,” he said.
When contacted, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, said he would reach out to police spokespersons in the affected states for clarification. However, as at press time, no response had been received.
(Report sourced from Vanguard)