Kunle Adelabu
-Call on govt to address situation
Smashed windscreen
Ikorodu residents have continued to lament the harassment, threat to lives and destructive activities of touts collecting illegal tolls from truck drivers.
The activities of these touts have been on the high in recent times, especially at the First Gate, Odogunyan and Ita – Olu axis of Ikorodu.
There have been many cases where trucks were badly damaged and drivers injured with dangerous weapons in the process of extorting them.
The recent incident, which generated so much condemnation from residents happened on the night of Wednesday, August 17, 2022, at the frontage of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), formerly LASPOTECH, when a truck windscreen was smashed by touts after demanding for N4000 from the truck driver who offered them the usual N500.
The owner of the truck, Mr Itameta Sunday, the Chief Executive Officer, Favour Itazz Enterprises, Ikorodu, which deals in iron and other construction materials, lamented on his Facebook account the attack on his trailer by touts late in the night.
“Just this night (Wednesday) 17th August, 2022, around 9pm, I received a call from my truck driver that some touts threw stone at the windscreen of the trailer and broke it”, he wrote.
“Upon questioning, my driver said he had already given them the normal (illegal tow fee) of N500 at every junction they were situated, including those at Laspotech First gate along Sagamu road.
“But they insisted that their illegal fee has been increased to N4000 per truck. The driver then dropped the normal N500 and left”.
Itameta said that the touts then jumped on motorbike and chased his driver and threw stones at him which broke the trailer’s windscreen.
“Immediately, they took a bike and followed them through the power line, the bypass after LASTMA office. When the truck got to the power line, they threw a big stone that broke the windscreen and left the scene immediately after committing the henious crime”, the trailer owner further stated.
“For security reasons, I told the driver to leave the place and come to the office”.
While stating that the harassment by the youths collecting illegal tolls is getting unbearable, Itameta called on the government and security agencies to checkmate their excesses.
“My question is this, does this act or activity benefit IKORODU that it cannot be curbed?”, he asked.
“Go out at night with a truck, from Agric to Garage through Sabo round about and Odogunyan; you will weep for the youths and the future these activities will birth if not checkmate now”, he lamented.
“Some of us who are indigenes of Ikorodu, have resolved to have our investment here and contribute to the development of Ikorodu.
“Something should be done ASAP aboit this”, he said.
Speaking with THE IMPACT, Itameta reiterated his lamentation as stated in his Facebook post.
He added that:
“It’s quite unfortunate my brother. Those guys chased my truck driver until it got to a spot where there was a bump which forced him to slow down and they hauled big stone at the windscreen”, he said.
He hinted our reporter that he will be making formal complaints to the police and other authorities.
“I will be reporting the incident formally to the police and others quarters. More so, my driver said that he can Identify those touts”, he added.
Meanwhile, residents of Ikorodu have been identifying with the owner of the damaged trailer by condemning what they termed barbaric act.
They also called on the government to urgently intervene by putting stoppage to the vilolent and illegal activities of these youths that are harassing truck drivers in Ikorodu.
Temitope Babarimisa, reacting to the Itameta’s lamentation, wrote:
“This is very bad, from 500 naira illegal fee to 4000 naira, it’s a wise decision to ask the driver to leave the vicinity immediately, who knows what would have happened to him.
“You still need to take further action concerning this matter by reporting to police”, she said.
Another resident, Oladipupo Samuel described the development as barbaric.
“This is a barbaric act, the driver should have stopped and negotiate with them. This is what we encounter along Sagamu Road. Those guys don’t sleep. You can also fish them out by calling army (soldiers to arrest them). The driver should know their base. Sorry bro”.
Adetola Awoyale, also commenting, said:
“This is a barbaric act,. The situation from LASPOTECH to Ogijo is really terrible with those touts. So, you need to take action and report to the.police. May God save us, sir”.
Raymond Quadr, in his own reaction, said that the incident of youths harassing drivers is at an alarming state in Ikorodu.
“That’s the point we meet ourselves in this country. Meanwhile, it happens almost everywhere in Lagos State, but Ikorodu own is getting worst now. Those are the lazy youths Buhari was referring to some years back. Just take it lightly with them ooo”.
Another resident, Oladimeji Awelewa, described them as criminals.
“Those guys are criminals and they fight for this as if they are entitled to it”.
In his own reaction, Enyita Emmanuel Azubuike wrote:
“It’s a pity that we found ourselves in this kind of dispensation where things go disorderly without checkmating it. May God of provision replenish you. Amen!”, he prayed.
Ojutalayo Daramola wrote:
“Sorry for the damages. The authority should look into it and do something reasonable”, he charged.
Efforts to reach the Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, Builder Adeola Banjo, to know what the council is doing to curb the illegal and violent activities within his council proved abortive.
Our reporter called and sent him messages but none was responded to as at the time of going to press.
