Lagos maritime truckers have issued a warning to the government to address the excesses of hoodlums or face potential strike action.
Ridwan Bello, Vice Chair of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners in Lagos State, voiced his frustration over ongoing intimidation and extortion by hoodlums, who are allegedly backed by transport unions and local governments.
“The government has established an intervention program, which includes the creation of the Lagos State Truck and Cargo Committee (LASTCOC),” Bello said. “This committee is responsible for addressing the illegal activities perpetrated by these union bodies.”
Despite the formation of LASTCOC, “The hoodlums operate under a ‘disgraceful’ system, backed by their patrons and godfathers, including the ruling class and some members of RTEAN and NURTW,” Bello continued. “Despite the government’s intervention, they still haven’t found a basic solution to address the issue.”
Bello claimed that truckers have numerous videos documenting the hoodlums’ illegal activities.
“Only on the Lagos-Badagry expressway, we have over 60 checkpoints full of ‘extortion bandits’,” he stated. “They injure our drivers and vandalise our trucks. We can’t even meet up with the minimum safety standards put up by the Nigerian Port Authority.”
He alleged that these hoodlums generate billions of naira each month and are unlikely to cease their activities due to their lucrative nature.
“The hoodlums are making billions of naira every month, and yet nobody is speaking out against them,” Bello said. “They continue to operate day in and day out, generating enormous profits, and they refuse to back down.”
The truckers have warned that if the government does not act, they will go on strike on September 12, potentially leading to losses of N20 billion daily. “That’s why we have taken it upon ourselves; we are going to withdraw our services by the 12th of this month (September) and would shut down the port,” Bello declared.
He also noted that the newly-built Lekki Port is already being targeted by these hoodlums, which undermines cargo evacuation and trade facilitation. “The newly-built Lekki Port is already being targeted by these hoodlums, who are undermining the entire purpose of cargo evacuation and trade facilitation,” Bello said.
“The ripple effects are numerous. How can we explain to investors that they risk having their goods hijacked by hoodlums lurking around the port area when they come to invest in Nigeria? It’s absolutely disgraceful.”
Bello criticized the organizations allegedly involved for denying their connection, despite evidence. “The accused organisations were in attendance and claimed they were not involved, saying it’s just rascals on the road,” he said. “However, when you look at the videos, they (hoodlums) are wearing their uniforms, and it’s obvious they don’t want to back out because of the money they’ve been making.”
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He emphasized the need for proactive measures from the government. “We need proactive measures where the government has to take them out – enough is enough,” Bello urged.
“How do we explain that truck drivers are expected to drop containers in the middle of the night, only to be attacked and forced to pay N3,000? After collecting the money, the hoodlums still damage the trucks and injure the drivers’ eyes, saying, ‘For stressing us, we’ll give you a mark.’ Now the driver is blind – someone trying to make a living for their family. Our drivers are dying day by day; we can’t stand this anymore.”
He also noted that police sting operations have been ineffective, with released hoodlums quickly returning to the roads. “We have written to the Office of the Vice President, and we’re pleading with the Presidency to please come to our aid,” Bello added.
In conclusion, Bello stressed the urgent need for the government to criminalize the activities of these hoodlums and restore order in the maritime sector and truckers. “We want the government to criminalise the activity of these hoodlums, take them away from the road, so we can have sanity in the maritime subsector of the Nigerian Ports Authority,” he said.
