Nigeria: Christmas: Travellers decry highway extortion by fake council officials
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
Yuletide travellers moving to different parts of Nigeria for the Christmas season have raised alarm over rampant extortion by hoodlums masquerading as local‑government officials on major highways. Victims travelling along the eastern axis say the gangs have taken over stretches of the Lagos‑Onitsha Expressway, stopping motorists to demand radio licences or levy arbitrary fines.
The menace is reportedly most pronounced around Ore (Ondo State), Benin City (Edo State), Asaba (Delta State) and the Onitsha Head Bridge (Anambra State). Families heading home for the festivities told Vanguard that the extortion occurs in full view of security personnel, including police officers stationed at checkpoints.
A Lagos‑based nurse travelling with her family in a private Sienna bus recounted an incident at a so‑called “customs checkpoint” in Asaba. About seven roughly dressed youths blocked the vehicle and demanded a radio licence from the driver. When the driver said he knew nothing about such a requirement, the youths yanked his door open, dragged him out and threatened to impound the bus unless a licence was produced. With children on board and the sun beating down, the group deflated the tyres and forced the vehicle off the road. Similar incidents were reported for other cars, and when victims appealed to nearby police officers, they were brushed aside with the comment, “We are doing our work and they are doing their work.”
Eventually, the travellers were compelled to pay varying amounts – N45,000, N35,000 or N20,000 depending on bargaining power – to continue their journey. In some cases they were given phone numbers to call if stopped again; later stops proved fruitless when the numbers went unanswered, forcing fresh payments.
Mazi Ukadike, a Lagos‑based businessman, said both commercial and private vehicles are targeted. He noted that motorists who keep windows fully wound up sometimes escape, while others suffer tyre deflations and vehicle damage from sticks and cudgels. In his own encounter at Asaba, the gang demanded N45,000, eventually settling for N35,000 and handing over two contact numbers (09137214004 – John; 08138755192 – Ifeanyi).
Security expert Kingsley Osa from Benin City said the practice is long‑standing and stems from corrupt local‑government chairmen who use thugs to extort money. He pointed out that despite a past police headquarters statement condemning the acts, enforcement has been lax and the gangs remain “above the law” on the highways.
