Lagos danfo drivers protest extortion, block road

Commercial drivers along LASU – Iyana Ipaja Road, on Wednesday, came out in their scores to block the route and stop all commercial vehicles (Danfo) from plying through as they protested against a task force in the state.

They accused the task force of harassing them and collecting an exorbitant fee to have their vehicles after been seized.

The protest which started at College Bus Stop was later moved to Igando Market with all public vehicles discharging their passengers and parking along the roadside to show solidarity.

Drivers and conductors who were moving up and down along the road shouting “we are ready for them today, it must stop. The task force is wicked,” were also intercepting all vehicles across the road and forcing all passengers to get down.

A driver who identified himself as Sir. K said that “The task force blocked our vehicles at both front and back with Danfo, LT, and their vehicles that are loaded with touts. You know that Igando is an authorized park, the task force will come with a bus that is loaded with touts and block the road from both front and back, all the yellow buses at that moment are in trouble.”

He said the law enforcement agents accompanied by policemen using commercial vehicles disrupt their means of livelihood by harassing and illegally extorting them on daily basis.

He said: “Our buses are being seized by the task force, the owners will bring it back with a towing vehicle. The task force, who do not have any means of identification collect within the range of 20,000 to 30,000 and they do not ask for their driving license or any relevant documents.

“Since they (taskforce) perceive that we respond to them fast “they have now turned this route to an ATM station 24/7, once they resume in the morning they close around 4pm-5pm. Today they came to our park (College bus stop) shooting guns, although it was not a stray bullet, they took all the buses at our base and those ones that they could not seize, they damaged the windscreen.”

The protest caused gridlock lasted for about 45 minutes before any security agent arrived at the scene. It was later calmed and ease of vehicle passage already blocked along the route was restored with 10 policemen and four military officers.

AbdulRafiu Aneru who led the team of policemen to the scene told CAMPUS REPORTER that there was no situation at the hand that was beyond control.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Chike Oti, said: “The task force accompany the mobile force and I know that with the mobile force if you do the wrong thing you pay fine or go to jail.”