Commercial motorists in Ibadan have bemoaned the high rise in the manner in which they were being extorted by the police, which according to them, has started taken serious toll on their income at the end of the day.
They equally called on Governor Seyi Makinde, the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, and the new Acting Inspector General of Police to come to their rescue. The motorists lamented that it does not matter if a driver’s papers were in order or not, stressing that it was a due every motorists knows he must pay once such person was stopped by the police.
Newsmen went into different parts of the town to hear from commercial motorists on how they were adjusting to the new petrol price regime and removal of fuel subsidy.
The commercial motorists who expressed support and readiness to support President Bola Tinubu’s government through their cooperation and understanding however, lamented bitterly how they were being extorted by some police officers within Ibadan metropolis especially around Mokola, Iwo Road, Ojoo, Moniya, and Challenge areas, while going about their legitimate transportation business.
Some of the commercial motorists who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the fear of being victimized, lamented what they usually go through in the hands of police officers within the state capital.
It was also gathered from the motorists that several avoidable road accidents have occurred at different locations within the city due to such police conducts on the road leading to needless casualties especially during rush hours either in the morning when workers and students were busy on the road or evening after close of work.
Some other similar conducts which motorists have repeatedly frowned and warned against include checking of phones, ordering citizens for passwords and flagrantly infringing on their rights to privacy and personal liberty.
Recall that as part of measures to entrench discipline and uphold the sanctity of professionalism, the Abuja Police Command in 2021 announced that it had apprehended no fewer than four personnel involved in extortion and subsequently subjected them to police disciplinary action.
During some recent press briefings and parading of crime suspects at the state’s Police Command, residents have been repeatedly told to be cautious of unscrupulous elements in the society masquerading themselves as police officers to extort unsuspecting citizens thereby, causing disrepute to the image of the security agency.
The Oyo State police command maintained that no genuine police office personnel would ask citizens for passwords to their mobile phones and other electronic gadgets without a proper court warrant, while urging residents to take advantage of the police toll free 615 and other emergency numbers.
One of the motorists whose route stretches along Mokola Round About to Bus stop, Gate, and Iwo Road axis, said it does not matter weather a motorist was right or wrong, a commercial motorist knows he must part with certain amount of money if he did not want to waste a whole day with the police.
Another motorists, an elderly man, who plies his route along Onikoko Estate, Customs, Ikolaba High School, Idi-Ape, Testing ground, areas stated that police officers in these areas have turned collection of tolls from motorists to daily dues, noting that whoever failed to comply when stopped by the police would have himself to blame at the end of the day.
Efforts to reach the Oyo State Police Public Relation Officer, Superintendent Adewale Osifeso for comments proved abortive as his line was being consistently interrupted by bad network reception.
