Bus drivers in the capital city of Imo State, Owerri, cried out to the government and related bodies over the regular molestation and extortion by operatives of the Imo State Environmental Commission (ENTRACO).
They have stated the irregular subventions been charged from them by the operatives and unplanned expenses when nabbed by the ENTRACO operatives and in most cases without proper explanation and reason for the unpleasant harassment.
A driver who described the situation said that you come to work each day prepared for fight and that they have the moral to do whatsoever they want because they are usually accompanied by an armed force officer.
He stated that its no longer a new thing to see a bus driver and an officer fighting for a key or in a fist fight against each other. He expressed his displeasure stating that one day bus drivers may decide to go on strike if the government refuses to do something about the matter.
Another driver who said that the operatives who found it fun to set traps for them always use reckless and careless drivers as scapegoats.
He said that they can be avoided if the driver is careful by keeping traffic rules and avoiding some laws guiding driving in the state like to avoid parking in the wrong places.
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He however stated his concern about the way about of the money usually collected and to where the money goes because he knows they make a lot of money on daily basis.
Another who told his ordeal said they usually appear like ghosts from nowhere and make where is legal look extremely illegal.
An ENTRACO operative in his statement said that the drivers are reckless and don’t care about traffic rules or anything. He added that some of them think it is still the keke and motorcycle era and drive as if there are no rules on the road.
“Whenever they are caught, they cry and often try to fight us. We’re working with the law and there is nothing they can do to us”, he said.
On what it takes to recover an impounded vehicle, one of the drivers said; “it depends who caught you and where they took your vehicle”
He revealed that about Three Thousand Naira N3,000 can set one free on the road side, but if the vehicle is taken to Heroes Square, “be sure to cough out between N5,000 to N10,000”
Still on that, a driver said a certain group take N10,000 for instant bailout or the driver pays N5,000 by the end of the day at the road side, if he does not want his car taken to Heroes Square.
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