This is the second part of a two-part report in which NURUDEEN AKEWUSHOLA examines how indiscriminate extortion and touting by hoodlums and corrupt security agencies along ports’ corridors impede the efficiency of electronic call-up system developed to deal with port congestion and restore order to that economic gateway.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQF0FkKnpt8
Touting frustrating digital system
To address the issue of truck congestion in Apapa and restore order to the port surroundings, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) initiated the electronic call-up system on February 27, 2021, which is designed to manage the movement of all trucks calling in the country’s ports. This system aims to provide a lasting solution to the challenge of congestion experienced in the industry.

The electronic system was designed for the hitch-free management of truck movements and access to the Lagos Ports Complex and the Tin Can Island Ports in Apapa, and ending the perennial logjam caused by articulated trucks within the port corridors.

The truck electronic call-up system, which is powered by a web application called “Eto”, is said to be responsible for the scheduling, entry and exit of all trucks in the ports.

However, The ICIR investigation shows that these flagrant acts of extortion have limited the efficiency of the digital technology aimed at containing the gridlock around the ports, as the problem visibly lingers to date.

The ICIR’s checks showed that trucks used to spend as long as two to three weeks, and truckers paid as much as N300,000 to access the port before the advent of the Eto Automation System.

However, with the introduction of the digital system, the average time to access the ports should be less than one hour; but with obstruction by illegal toll collectors and corrupt security agencies, it now takes between 12 to 24 hours for trucks to access the ports.

Under normal circumstances, it costs an average of N21,500 to access the port using Eto Application, but with multiple illegal checkpoints, truckers now spend between N50,000-N60,000.

Barely three weeks before this reporter’s visit to Lagos, tragedy struck at the Trade Fair bridge, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway as a truck crushed a policeman and two other persons to death.

Some touts had attempted to stop the truck and collect money from the driver by force, but he refused to obey. This made the violent thugs drag the steering wheel with the driver and, in the process, the truck lost control and crushed three persons to death.

Similarly, The ICIR gathered that these hoodlums attacked and stabbed a cameraman of the Channels Television, Ismail Sanusi, whilst filming their illegal activities on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway as well as around the Apapa and Tin Can ports.

A Senior Research Analyst with Nairametric, Samuel Oyekanmi, explained that the flagrant acts of impunity by lawless toll collectors would impact the productivity of the Lagos ports as some businesses might be forced to relocate their operations to other business-friendly environments.

“The government needs to clamp down on the activities of the touts, either by providing them with social jobs or program that keeps them busy and productive, rather than being a nuisance and hampering the development of business in the state,” Oyekanmi said.

Thuggery and Touting: A lucrative business in Lagos
Area boys, or Agbero, is an informal name for a person, usually a thug, who collects rates, fees, tolls and other forms of illegal tax around motor parks. They are every Lagos resident’s nightmare.

In broad daylight, they levy tolls on commercial drivers, patrol potential car-parking spaces and demand illegal fees from citizens.

Earlier investigations by The ICIR have shown how these violent non-state actors pocket millions of Naira from wreaking havoc on commercial transporters and disrupting businesses in Lagos.

The investigation, which was carried out in 21 LCDAs shows that bus drivers, tricyclists and motorcyclists pay a whopping ₦123.078 billion annually to touts in Lagos. However, because of their networks in the state government, they have become powerful, rampant and unstoppable in the state.

According to the Trust Transit Park, over 78,500 registered trucks frequent the Lagos ports, and at least 3000 of them access the ports daily. The average amount charged by the hoodlums at these points is ₦2,000, based on The ICIR findings.

This means that the hoodlums rake estimated ₦6 million daily, ₦180 million monthly and about ₦ 2.16 billion annually from this illegal business. This is just for a single extortion toll point.

READ MORE HERE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/maritime-bandits-agberos-rake-in-n2-16bn-revenue-annually-from-lagos-ports-corridor-2/

How will these type of people pray for a new Nigeria

Remove eye from Yoruba business and focus on developing your region.

Agbero and Iyaloja is Yoruba way that does not need your lecture.

The only way we can start addressing issues of high corruption is to have credible elections and have a strong judiciary

Tibunu, a paperweight in Lagos with only 155K votes is the one controlling Lagos due to his influence over corrupt heads of institutions who can rewrite votes when they get paid

We have to do things right if Nigeria must move forward

akingangan:
Remove eye from Yoruba business and focus on developing your region.

Agbero and Iyaloja is Yoruba way that does not need your lecture.

You people are too funny in this life.

Please can you explain how Agbero and Iyaloga is a Yoruba way?

Will this raw facts make front page

Since when did Agbero (NURTW - National Union of Road Transport Workers) start managing ports

akingangan:
Remove eye from Yoruba business and focus on developing your region.

Agbero and Iyaloja is Yoruba way that does not need your lecture.

Shame into you and unto you.
You are disgrace to sanity,

didroon43:


You people are too funny in this life.

Please can you explain how Agbero and Iyaloga is a Yoruba way?

It is actually a Yoruba way. I remember reading a scholary work by a professor from unilag. He tried to trace the history of agbero phenomenon in the SW.

Touting and hooliganism are actually Yoruba ways. Not meant to disparage the Yorubas. I am only basing my opinion on the uncited work. Maybe next time I will pay my hand on that body of work.

.

dexmond:


It is actually a Yoruba way. I remember reading a scholary work by a professor from unilag. He tried to trace the history of agbero phenomenon in the SW.

Touting and hooliganism are actually Yoruba ways. Not meant to disparage the Yorubas. I am only basing my opinion on the uncited work. Maybe next time I will pay my hand on that body of work.

It's alright, thanks for the enlightenment.