I was on my way from Benin Sapele road today with the intention of heading towards one of the routes just off the Ring Road. With my trafficator on, I was gradually negotiating my way into the intended route and at the same time giving way to vehicles coming from the left, one of the traffic officers said I was not in line with other vehicles and immediately rushed into my car. His colleague abandoned his duty and also tried to force himself into my car but I had to tell him to shut the door since one of them was already in my car.

I politely told him that I have not committed any offence but he refused to listed. Next he wanted to extort me and because I wasn't yielding he asked another colleague to get into the vehicle so that they could take the matter to their office where I will be made to pay more. (For a crime I did not commit).

We got to their office and they had some words with some of their colleagues after which they gave me a form and asked me to pay a fine of N30,000. On the form, the offence against me was Obstruction of traffic on the High way. I was shocked and immediately asked them if ring road was now a high way and if negotiating another route from ring road was now a crime. They refused to listed to me and they kept me there for many hours.

I was further asked to see one Mr Felix who claimed to have the video tape that was made when they stopped me. He played it and to his greatest surprise my trafficator was on and I was truly negotiating entrance to my new destination. Rather than say his boys made a mistake, he still refused to give me my car key. Instead he insisted that I see his Oga. I waited for hours and was not allowed to see the Oga who was upstairs and occasionally pipped through the windows to see what was happening. The stair ways to his office was guarded by two traffic offers (more like bouncers) wearing the new uniform (red and black).

After some additional hours of waiting, a lady came and took the forms of all those who refused to pay the outrageous charge to the Oga upstairs. When the forms came back, the N30,000 was canceled and I was asked to go and pay N10,000 to the cashier. I believe he must have slashed the fine on other forms too. Still not satisfied, I requested to see the Oga upstairs and unbelievably, I wasn't allowed.

I quietly pulled out my wallet and paid the N10,000 fine; and just like I anticipated, no receipt was given to me or other offenders who were also paying one outrageous fine or another.

Another disturbing thing was the exit gate. The men manning it refused to open it unless I pay N200. Though I insisted.

See attached..

My Qyestions and Observations

Are there no defined charges for traffic offences? If yes, why are they not been used?

We all know what minimum wage is. Yet a traffic offender is being asked to pay almost twice that amount... Are traffic fines meant to totally deplete our income and savings?

Are these outrageous charges also applicable in other states or just Edo State?

Most of the claimed offenders are innocent but nobody gives them a listening ear all because they want to extort them.

Most Oga's in public offices have forgotten that we put the government in power who put them there.

Why is this decadence still lingering in Edo State?

Why are offenders being forced to pay cash to their cashier? Does Edo state government not have a bank account for such?

Who checks the activities of these people. Their mode of operation is "Bizarre".

Lastly, I call on the comrade governor to come to our rescue by putting this menace to and abrupt end.

Please share until it get to the Governor's Desk.

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I thought osho sacked all these miscreants