A Principal Partner/CEO of Media Global Consult, Mr. Adeola Amusat, has detailed an encounter with officials of the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos, which he described as horrendous.

In a Facebook post that has received overwhelming responses so far, Amusat narrates that he had entered Oshodi Apapa Expressway to connect Agege Motor Road, and had encountered a traffic jam on Oyetayo Road at Bolade area of Oshodi.

“I slowed down and stretched my hand to disconnect my phone from the car charger when three men tapped on my window.

“One introduced himself as a Council official and said he noticed that I wanted to pick my phone to make a call.

“I asked him what about it? And he, right away, put his hand inside to unlock the car door. I wanted to move, but the traffic from Bolade junction was not yielding.

“He aggressively commanded me to turn left into the local government headquarter,” Amusat said in the viral post.

Continuing, he said, “Knowing that I’ve done nothing wrong, I complied. We entered the (council) gate and was promptly surrounded by rough-looking council men in their yellow uniform branded (with the inscription) Road Enforcement.”

Amusat said he was accused of making a phone call and causing obstruction  in a traffic jam.

The distraught man said he thought it was a joke, until a ticket of N25,000 was issued to him for the alleged offence, while the council officials also attempted to deflate his vehicle’s tyres.

Amusat narrated that so many vehicles were “under arrest,” with the owners arguing and protesting the illegal operation.

“I stepped out to make a few calls to friends, only to be approached by one of their leaders who asked me to cooperate because I looked like a gentleman,” Amusat said.

In a chat with our Correspondent, Amusat disclosed that he placed a call to a Colonel friend of his at an Army Cantonment in Lagos, and that the conversation made the council officials to soft-pedal.

Continuing, he said, “I told him I will rather pay whatever fine to government coffer and he directed me to a kiosk where I was asked to pay whatever I had on me.

“A receipt was issued to me for N3,000 before I was left off.”

Amusat said that he once experienced similar treatment at the Daleko market, under the Mushin LG, where council officials also allegedly framed him for a nonexistent traffic offence for which he also had to pay.

“Why must innocent, tax paying Lagosians be made to suffer this fraudulent extortion on a daily basis?” Amusat asked; warning that Lagos cannot make progress with such fraudulent activities against its residents.

Many people who commented on the post also narrated different encounters with Lagos State council officials, with many of them detailing horror stories of false charges and extortion. – Punch

– Apr. 10, 2019 @ 18:39 GMT |