Commercial bus drivers plying the Seme Border to CMS route in Lagos have complained about extortion from transport unions, military and para-military officials.

They accused these officials of extorting N100 from each of their buses at each of the over 98 bus stops on that route, claiming that they are forced to cough up between N17,500 and N22,000 in illegal fees, daily.

They lamented that this is separate from the official N800 levy drivers in the state pay to the Lagos State Government.

Read Also: One dead as okada ban takes off in Lagos

Drivers representing four associations in Badagry made the allegations when they paid a condolence visit to rights activist, Mrs. Joe Odumakin, over the death of her husband and former national publicity secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin.

Conferring an honour of Life Matron on Odumakin, they solicited her help against what they termed incessant extortion.

The associations, comprising Ibile Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria, Mega-City Drivers Welfare Association, Federal Mass Drivers Association and Korope Drivers Association, met Odumakin at her Ikeja, Lagos office.

Secretary, Mega-City Drivers Association, Ajimatanrareje Feyi, blamed the drivers’ plight on some officials of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Police, Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and other military and paramilitary outfits.