Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) has alleged extortions by officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and officials of some local governments in the state, including the committee set up by the state government for the removal of abandoned trucks.
In a letter written to the Lagos State Government and signed by the Chairman of AMATO, Chief Remi Ogungbemi, a copy of which was sent to Shipping Position Daily, the association lamented that its members pay about N100,000 to N200,000 to these officials to secure the release of their trucks that were seized.
In letter, AMATO wrote, “We are using this medium to draw the attention of the Lagos State Government to the worrisome and increasing ignoble activities of its traffic agencies and some Local Governments traffic departments in charge of traffic management and control in Lagos State”.
It alleged that those responsible for extortion include Committee on the Removal of Abandoned Trucks; LASTMA and some local government officials.
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“For the Committee on the Removal of Abandoned Trucks, they invade various empty container depots at midnight to hijack trucks not constituting any road obstruction on the normal single lane to either drop or load empty containers. They always go with hoodlums that are armed with dangerous weapons.
“They beat and injure drivers and their motor boys in the process of hijacking trucks. They forcefully collect trucks from drivers and drive the trucks away to their various yards while booking the trucks as being towed. After this, they slam bills ranging between N100,000 to N200,000 as ransom before the trucks can be released. The amount can only be reduced if you know somebody at the top”, AMATO lamented.
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