Musiliu Akinsaya (Mc Oluomo), chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Association, has waded into the feud between commercial drivers and agberos (highway tax collectors who target commercial drivers) in the state.
One of the drivers said that Mc Oluomo had placed a ban on the illegal taxes levied by agberos.
“Mc Oluomo told us this afternoon when we held a meeting with him at the state council that no driver from Oshodi to Tollgate must be compelled to pay illegal agbero taxes anymore,” he told FIJ.
“We are only to buy two tickets in a day, after which we will not pay anything aside from loading fees.
“The normal ticket sold and approved by the Lagos State Park Management is just N800.
“He said those extra taxes imposed at Iyana Ipaja and Agbado Ijaiye were no longer valid. We can either buy our daily tickets in Oshodi or Tollgate, and either will be recognised.
“Afterwards, we will buy the council ticket and booking for security, which is about N500.”
He further stated that to soothe the aggrieved drivers, Akinsanya said they would no longer pay for tickets on Saturdays and Sundays.
“For weekend jobs, Mc Oluomo has mandated that no driver should be made to buy tickets on Saturdays and Sundays,” he said.
“The union should only compel us to buy tickets from Monday to Friday. We should be given the chance to take something home to our families.
“For those who were injured during the attack on protesting drivers, he donated N1 million. He said it should be used to treat those who were injured and those whose properties were stolen.
“I feel so happy. We are to resume work tomorrow with minimal agbero disturbances.
“There are no more unbearable taxes. All we have to pay in a day is a little below N2,500 compared to the N20,000 we paid previously.”
YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES AFFECTED BY AGBEROS – CP
Meanwhile, while addressing the drivers on Thursday morning, Idowu Owohunwa, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, stated that the agbero issue was not peculiar to the drivers.
“This issue does not affect you alone, even residents of the state are affected. We will be happy if you can select representatives to speak to the state council on your behalf,” he said.
“This is better than protesting on the streets where it could be hijacked by hoodlums.”
FIJ had reported how a protest against agbero taxes turned violent in Lagos. Policemen allegedly shot at protesters, while some agberos attacked them with machetes.
