I imported a fairly used Honda Accord (2002) model from the US to Nigeria last October. It arrived Nigeria Port (Apapa) in January 2009 and I got it cleared paying all necessary custom and other vehicle registration dues. I work in Port Harcourt and because I knew what the Nigeria Police is capable of, I double checked with my neighbor who’s a custom officer and he confirmed the papers were okay.

I set out on my journey from Ibadan to PH by 6.00am and I’ve not even reached Ikire (less than 30km) when a police officer stopped me and checked the papers. He told me that photocopies of the bank tellers in the particulars were not legible, that the papers were fake, that the car must have come in through Cotonou and that he was going to impound it. I tried to explain to him that I cleared the car through Apapa port and paid all the required levies but he would not listen. When I insisted, he said he will call their "custom support squad" and that he will release the car if they confirm the genuineness of the papers. When I asked how long this will take, he said they will arrive “in the next 2 hrs”.

I did not plan to spend 3 days on the road so I had to cool down his nerves and “settle” him so I could progress on the journey. I passed through other police check point with similar experiences (bribe for no offence) and the only custom point I passed through had no problem with my papers other than requesting me to wash the car for them. I did this at about 12 police check points from Ibadan – Ife - Ondo until I reached Ore intersection and spotted a black jeep with FGN number with police escort. I decided to do a James Bond and I closely followed these cars from Ore until they veered off my way at a village very close to PH. I counted not less than 18 check points where I would have been extorted.

I have not travelled with car since that time ‘cos I hate to pay all these men in black for no just cause. Now I need to attend an occasion back home with my family. How do I convince these men in black to go after armed robbers and other criminals and stop harassing innocent citizens whose taxes are being used to pay their salaries?

File a complaint and ask for a plain clothes escort, that way you only pay one police officer.