Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON) has cried out to federal government over the level of extortions and harassment of its members by security agencies on roadblocks/checkpoints on highways across the country.
The association in a petition to Inspector General of Police tagged, “SOS: Excessive Extortions by Security Agencies at Road Blocks cripple Commercial Vehicle Transportation in the face of COVID-19 pandemic”, called for dismantling of road blocks on highways.
The Chairman, National Taskforce of ALBON Chief Joseph Ejiofor who signed the petition on behalf of others, appealed that police motorized surveillance vehicles should be deployed to counter criminals and insurgency on the highways.
He appealed that all the security personnels and COVID-19 pandemic monitoring or compliance units who operated on the inter-state lockdown and closure of inter-state borders should be withdrawn immediately and replaced with new officials.
The group accused the security agents of extorting their drivers between N2,000, N5,000 and N10,0000 on the road despite their compliance with COVID-19 protocols and reduction of number of passengers, stressing that its members lost billions of Naira to the pandemic for not operating for four months due to inter-state lockdown/closure.
“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 movements 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 was allegedly tie his legs and hands with rope inside his vehicle while his passengers were discharged and his bus impounded.
“We are appealing to federal government for bailout 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 move. We need your utmost support” ALBON pleaded.