Following allegations of extortion of truck drivers along the port corridor, the leadership of truck owners operating in the Mile 2-Tin Can Port axis on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, has denied allegations that it was collecting money from truck drivers before allowing them to access Lagos ports. They called for a probe into the activities of those who levelled the allegations.
At the weekend, the spokesperson of the truck owners in the Tin Can Mile 2 axis; Mr Salami Ismail, said the alleged extortion is being perpetuated by the masterminds of unbridled extortion of truckers before the creation of the Presidential Task Team on Apapa gridlock.
Salami said the petitioners were not happy that their source of illegal funds was cut off by the Presidential task team, which has been dealing with genuine truck owners in the task of ensuring that the two main access into Apapa are free of vehicular traffic.
He accused those behind the petition, whom he described as “truck pushers”, that is middlemen, are only ruing their losses after being cut off from their practice of assisting genuine truck owners to gain access into the port for a fee, following the coming of the task team.
Salami described as “false and a deliberate attempt to rubbish the tremendous effort of the Presidential Task Team,” the petition bothering on extortion, which he claimed was written by a certain Mr Aroyewun Adeyinka and other individuals, who were not acting on behalf of the Tin Can Mile 2 axis of truck owners or drivers.
According to him, “the petition is borne out of frustration due to the dismantling of the criminal activities of middlemen called “truck pushers” by the Presidential Task Force.
The inauguration of the Presidential Task Team has been a game-changer for easy movement of trucks to and from the ports. Before the inauguration of the Presidential Task Team, these petitioners who were active in the haulage sector as “truck pushers” usually extort truck owners to the tune of N150,000 per truck before access is given to trucks to proceed to the ports,” he explained.
The group called for a detailed investigation into the activities, arrest and prosecution of those it called “truck pushers-turned petitioners,” for their nefarious activities which he said is capable of inciting the general public against the Presidential Task Team and the Truck Owners Mile-2/Tin Can axis.
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