In Ogun State, unsuspecting motorists are falling prey to a growing menace—fraudulent ticket collection agents masquerading as harmless passengers. What should be routine stops to pick up commuters have turned into opportunities for exploitation, with drivers becoming targets of illegal arrests and extortion. Armed with deceptive authority, these fake agents ambush and strip drivers of their time and money, leaving them helpless in the face of their calculated deceit. BABATUNDE TITILOLA reports on this troubling trend
It began with a video received by this reporter on September 4, 2023. The source – a victim of the scam, detailed how fraudulent agents had turned the Kara Bridge, near the popular Kara cattle market and Enyo Filling Station, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, into a hotbed of exploitation.
Travellers who ply the bridge have become easy targets of these fake ticket collectors who lurk, ready to pounce on unsuspecting motorists.
“They don’t wear uniforms,” the source could be heard explaining. “They just stand on the bridge like regular passengers, waving for vehicles to stop. Once you pick them up, they claim to be government officials and arrest you.”
Curious to witness the scam in action, this reporter visited the Kara Bridge, which is part of the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, not far from New Garage.
New Garage is about 300 metres from Berger bus stop in Lagos State.
Despite the proximity to Lagos, the area around Kara Bridge has become a danger zone for private drivers who stop to pick up passengers.
The modus operandi
The atmosphere around Kara Bridge may appear unremarkable, but beneath its surface lays this well-orchestrated scam.
The moment a vehicle stops, the fake passengers reveal their true identities.
Suddenly taking on the mien of state revenue officers on official assignment, they begin to accuse and reel out fabricated infractions to the driver, among them failure to comply with transport regulations.
The victim (driver) at the time, looking confused and often in a hurry to escape the scene, becomes aware of being entrapped.
The fake agents, still under the pretence of being on official duty, demand immediate payment of fines or, in some cases, threaten to impound the vehicle.
The result is a driver trapped not just by traffic laws, but by a scam so well-disguised and can take minutes to realise what’s really happening.
When this reporter alighted and stood on the bridge on Thursday to observe the fake officials in action, he noticed that no arrest was made that day, making it apparent that many frequent travellers had become aware of the scam.
Intending travellers maintained quite a distance from each other, clearly wary of the possibility that the person could be one of these fake agents.
A traveller, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “We all know what’s going on here, but you can never tell who they are until they arrest a vehicle.”
Risks private drivers face
Interestingly, not all vehicles are at risk. Findings revealed that these fraudulent ticket collectors rarely target commercial vehicles or interstate travel buses.
Their primary victims are private drivers, who often stop along the bridge to pick up passengers to make quick cash.
“You see the yellow buses and long-distance travel buses, they don’t bother with them,” explained a man who regularly waits for vehicles on the bridge. “It’s the private cars they go after.”
Many of the commercial drivers, who stop along this route are risk-takers, aware of the potential danger but in a hurry to pick up passengers.
A man, who claimed to be a frequent traveller, while describing the dynamics of this high-stakes situation, said, “Any driver who parks here knows he has to be fast. He doesn’t know who he’s picking, so he has to think on his feet if the person is a passenger or a fake agent.”
Further discoveries
On a return trip to Kara Bridge, this reporter noticed familiar faces from earlier in the week. Two men, who had stood among regular commuters the previous day, were again on the roadside, attempting to hail private vehicles.
However, on closer inspection, it became apparent that they weren’t there just to catch a ride. One of the men sat on the railing of the bridge, looking tired but still vigilant, watching for the next vehicle to stop.
It was during a conversation with one Eze, a frequent traveller along this route, that the truth was confirmed that the two men were part of the fake agents.
“I’ve seen them harassing private cars before,” Eze blurted angrily. “That’s why I moved away. They don’t usually disturb buses, but who knows when they might change their tactics?”
He then agreed to walk back with the reporter, pointing out the two men seated on the bridge railing.
Their relaxed demeanour masked the reality that they were poised to spring into action, ready to exploit the next unwitting driver.
Suspicious receipts
While scanning the area for possible giveaways on the fake officials, two suspicious receipts were found discarded near the Kara Bridge, further supporting claims of their fraudulent activities.
One was identified as a haulage fees ticket issued by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, though it bore a watermark from the Ministry of Transportation.
The second receipt was a development ticket issued by the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
While it remains unclear whether these receipts are part of the fake agents’ operation, their presence raised additional questions.
As this reporter attempted to gather more information, an unidentified man, noticing the inquiries, began watching closely.
The man’s sudden scrutiny sent a clear message that asking too many questions could be dangerous.
Personal accounts of extortion
One of the most harrowing accounts of extortion came from an American-based businessman, Bamidele Famose, who found himself ensnared by the scammers on July 19, 2023.
That day, while navigating heavy traffic at Ojodu Berger, he was approached by a man in plain clothes, who wore a tag around his neck with the inscription, “Taskforce.”
When Famose asked the man for directions to Oshodi, he willingly offered assistance and even guided him to a supposed shortcut.
What Famose did not realise at the time was that he was being led into a trap. Before long, he found himself at the Vehicle Inspection Office in Ojodu, Ogun State, where four men surrounded his vehicle, deflated his tyres, and demanded that he pay a fine of N67,000.
“They told me I was a first-time offender and had to pay for the release of my vehicle,” Famose explained.
Though the ordeal left him shaken, he knew he was not the only one to fall victim to this widespread scam.
Legal insights
A lawyer, Maxwell Adigun, offered insight into how such a scam could thrive in Ogun State.
According to him, the government’s failure to monitor and regulate agents leaves the door wide open for exploitation.
“It’s criminal for anyone not authorised by the government to arrest drivers and demand money,” Adigun emphasised.
“Adding exploitation to that act means they are acting without proper authorisation. Also, enforcement agents from the government or a recognised authority like road transport management should be able to identify themselves with identity cards or bibs.
“These corrupt practices will continue until there is an improvement in monitoring the enforcement of tax or revenue collection. How is the money collated at the end of the day? Where is the money going?
“You will be surprised to see that a large part of the collection has not been remitted as it should have been. And since there is no monitoring, anybody can wake up one day and stay on the roadside to collect fees from motorists.”
Adigun further said the increasing cost of transportation would push travellers to opt for private vehicles going their way as the transport fares would be more affordable.
He, however, noted that there were risks associated with hailing private vehicles.
“The economy generally must be improved so that people can afford the cost of transport. People will enter commercial buses if they can afford the cost.
“So, apart from the government ridding many spots of fake collectors, they must also find a way to ensure the cost of transportation is affordable,” he added.
Reactions
Efforts made by our correspondent to get the Chairman of the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area to speak on the discovery were unsuccessful.
Despite initially responding to a message, he failed to give any concrete information about the efforts to combat the scam.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, acknowledged that the fraudulent activities indeed existed.
He noted that the state government’s agents were always identifiable and advised motorists not to cooperate with any ticket collector, not in proper uniform.
“If they don’t have proper identification, they aren’t legitimate,” Oresanya said. “Motorists should demand to be taken to the police or court if they suspect they’re being scammed.”
He urged victims of extortion to report incidents to the ministry and even suggested taking pictures of the fake agents if possible.
“If they are not in uniform, then their genuineness of being agents of the state government is doubtful,” Oresanya insisted.
“This is because the state government can’t say some people should go out and collect revenue or taxes for the government without proper identification. So, if we have people without proper identification, then something is wrong somewhere.
“If someone is trying to extort anybody on this pretence, you have the right to refuse and ask the person to take you to court or the police station. However, most of these vehicles are always in a hurry and don’t want to go through the whole process.
“That makes these impostors get away with their acts. If drivers are determined to spend the whole day to get to the end of the matter with those exploiting them, you would see that their activities will start to reduce.”
He further noted that the ministry was open to receiving reports of exploitation by drivers unjustly arrested or exploited in any way.
“The drivers should take the collector’s pictures if they can or bring copies of the receipts they are given. We will investigate. We want to stop all these bad behaviours. Everybody has to work together to fight this occurrence,” Oresanya stated.
