Fake Security Operatives Swoop On Berger For Vehicle ‘Escort’ Jobs 1
There is a mass of fake security operatives at the popular Berger Automobile market located on the ever-bustling Apapa Oshodi expressway.
Although, the Berger Automobile Market, is known to provide jobs to so many Nigerian teaming youths, ranging from, car boys, cleaners, security men, food vendors, sellers, trackers, vehicles registration agents, but there is now an upsurge in the influx of uniform men.
Shipping Position Daily confirmed over a period of weeks that, several young and middle aged men openly adorn uniforms of security agents. Their preoccupation is to ‘escort’ vehicles from the market to any part of the country for a fee.
Because of the sensitive nature of the persons involved and the services they render, most of those approached by our correspondents were not forthcoming.
Giving an insight into the presence of the uniformed men, a dealer disclosed that, “most of the assumed military officers and police officers sitting there have nothing to do with buying and selling of vehicles, they are there to make extra income by helping car buyers to take cars to any destination within the country”. He also hinted that some of them are dismissed officers who use that as a means of livelihood.
Investigations also revealed that the price at which they use to convey these cars are determined by your destination and the genuineness of the vehicle documents
The escorts charge differently depending on destination and documents. “The price they charge for someone whose papers are complete and wants to move his vehicles from the market to anywhere in Lagos is different from what they will collect from someone who wants to move his vehicle to places outside Lagos and whose papers are not complete”, another informant told our correspondent.
One of the sources, who also pleaded anonymity for the fear of being victimized, said that some of the supposed military men have boys who work for them to deliver vehicles when there is more than one vehicle to be delivered.
“Some of them doing the business here are fake, people who have been dismissed from service. Some of them have their boys in case if you have more than one vehicle that you want them to deliver. It is not only uniform men that are into this business, we have civilians who do the same kind of business. So there is nothing wrong there”, he stressed.
“Talking about the rate, it depends on the distance and how genuine your papers are. The amount they charge for vehicles that were not properly registered is different from what they charge for vehicles that were duly registered. Then if you want them to take the vehicle to east or north, the amount you pay is different from what you pay if you want them to take it to neighbouring states here in Lagos or even within Lagos”.
He explained further that: “They (military escorts) collect like N30, 000 depending on your bargaining power for vehicles going to neighbouring states and they collect as high as N70, 000 for vehicles going to the east or even the north. It is a normal thing and people patronise them a lot”.
Another source who simply identified himself as Sir Kij, said that some buyers have been duped in the process of hiring the services of the escorts.
“It is not all of them that can be trusted; some will take your vehicle and will not deliver. Some will take and be asking you for more money. To me it is not all of them that can be trusted. I have the person that whenever I have confidence in, I will call him”, he added.
After a long wait, our correspondent who disguised as a potential customer had a brief negotiation with one of the escorts, who also confirmed that he has been in the business for a long time and that he uses proceeds from it to support himself in taking care of his family.
“I don’t charge much, I collect, between the range of N25, 000 to N30, 000 to move a vehicle in neighbouring states and I collect N60, 000 to move the vehicle as far as Imo state. This charge is for settling the Customs and the Police on the road the money for fuel are excluded.
“If you want to travel with me, you will be the person buying the fuel, but if you are not travelling with me, I will charge you for fuel. What I am assuring you is that after the payment, I will deliver your vehicle to the place you want me to deliver it”.
Most of the cars I take were genuinely cleared with the proper duty paid”, he concluded.
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