pheelhip:

Why are you so foolish?
Does my contribution to this post makes it difficult for me read and write, do you think before typing that out at all?

Take your puerileness away from here.
Dingbat!

What’s that? You keep ‘manufacturing’ words here. What’s going on?

Puerileness...never heard that. Did you mean to write ‘puerility’ or ‘puerilism’?? Why not use childishness bro.
Keep blaming your keyboard.

Alliteration:
Pardon my errors

I traveled yesterday from the southwest to attend a wedding in Owerri. I got to onitsha around 12 noon because of the vehicle. I have been directed to take keke to peace park. I took keke from the park, but the keke guy took I and the lady with me to another pack. On getting there, I was still confused because I didn't see the name 'peace' there. The guys there cut the ticket and wrote 2550 to Owerri... As I was trying to tell him No... Some guys came trying to harass the lady... Creating fear by trying to hijack her bag... So, she ran and said we should pay for the vehicle... The guy took us to the vehicle in disguise that he was trying to protect us saying onitsha is now bad... We paid and met some people in the vehicle.

To cut the story short... That same keke and another kept bringing people for them and they harass them that way. Once u enter that park... U can't go out... U will pay for the ticket under duress. We left there past 2pm....It was later I discovered the driver and vehicle was hijacked too... He was given 1k and they took the rest. The keke guys were positioned for it. They collected double money from some women, made them cry and they paid again. They vehicle was going to owerri, they took bayelsa and Portharcourt passengers and collected huge money but will not go with them.

One of those criminals said they can't be reported to the police because police is a syndicate too... In fact, I discovered that all the people we met in the vehicle were part of the team of criminals. The name on the ticket is 'All Roads park'.

I have not had this experience before... Lagos is not as worse as this from my experience. There is a big park beside this people, and nobody is rebuking them from this evil. They extort, hijack and make women weep. It is a terrible business...

How many of us have encountered such?

Help move to FP to inform newbies in that area

Thank God they didn't harm you, they exploited the fact that you are new to the place to steal from you.

Binance:

I am from Uyo, I've traveled that route several times.
While not rulling out possibility of this story, but sorry some part of the story is made up!

Listen that you never experienced such acts doesn't mean it did not happen. None of the story is made up I can attest to it myself.

I know you thought it was made up because you didn't believe such things can happen, but believe me it happens 100%.

Shashar:
They look at people before doing that, mostly teenagers and women,and it only happens with does unregistered companies that brings out afternoon bus to Lagos. Have see them operate b4 ,they work with the driver.those guys will hang around the park and once they site you coming they act as if they want to rob you, harassing you,and if the driver tryes to plead on your behalf,they will slap and threating to beat him up,at that point you will be scared and run into the bus,the driver will now come and be telling you to pay huge money and stay inside the bus.I saw them doing same thing to everybody that came to that park that day except I and one other Yoruba matured looking man...

Exactly what they did to me two months ago at upper iweka. They will slap the driver making it look like they are not together in the crime.

I had similar experience too but I ended up paying 200 naira. I wanted to give them 50 naira but they refused and I didn't show sign of fear.

ignis:
I had a bitter experience at Upper Iweka Park the last time I traveled to Onitsha. I crossed the road only to be rounded by some agberos claiming I have broken the rule by not using the pedestrian bridge... Meanwhile several people were crossing the road same way I did, I called thier attention to that, and they said they have no business with them.
I started shouting angrily at them, but they were adamant that my fine is #5,000... I ended up giving then #3,000 with abeg abeg..

This thread is very funny but it's mostly true.

Everyone reading OPs story should know that this is very true in any event you have doubts. In the last 5yrs I've been on the road from Lagos to all Eastern states, I know how these touts operate and in my opinion from Asaba(Close to head-Bridge or from Toll-gate) to all Eastern states is infested with Hoodlums and organized criminals, it is common knowledge that they work hand in hand with security agents, this thread has brought back memories of Onitsha and Aba, there's no difference between the two. I have numerous stories to tell. My aunty was kidnapped at Lagos Park with her driver, luckily, Kogi guys are brave(Saved the day by not handing over the car keys to them), she paid 200,000 plus, why? Because they used her kids as the bait, they told her they will shoot her kids and nothing will happen, all these was happening around 6pm, they held them hostage till 9pm. Furthermore, once our operational vehicle broke down close to Lagos Park just under the bridge, we paid a whopping N20,000 to the police officers nearby and slept in the police Van. To add more, I nearly lost my right eye to the touts because I fought them back from the vehicle and they responded by hitting me in the face, I admit I was really tired to continue the fight, ended up paying 2k to them as marching ground after I stepped out of the vehicle to start from where we stopped, funny enough it was Obosi boys, they had pestle, beer bottle, long sticks and short axes, and a noticeable cut to size gun.
Furthermore, I traveled from Umuahia to Onitsha, I was headed to Asaba initially, since there was no direct bus to Asaba from Umuahia, I opted for the Onitsha bus, we set out very late and we got to onitsha after 8pm, so I begged the driver to go down because it was ITCBus and drop us close to those Marcopolo busses so that I can get a bus to Asaba directly, when I got down, I had loads and my bag was very heavy, they rushed me and attempted to take my loads, I carried my bag first and was trying to jack the loads because the driver was very impatient when one of them took one of the cartons, I laughed at first because I knew what would follow, I got to one bus loading Asaba, and put some of the loads and firmly held my bag still, at Ugwu Obosi roundabout, I've put my smartphone, watch and etc inside my bag and prepared already, so I shouted at the guy with my carton to bring it back to the Asaba bus, he motioned me to come get it, I walked majestically to where he was and then he trailed further into the dark, I followed him and a woman was signaling me to stop, I haven't moved five steps into the dark area when more than six boys surrounded me, they were pushing me around, struggling to pickpocket me and some were just standing to make it look like it was a tout to tout in house quarreling, I stood my ground and fought back real hard, I returned every blow and kicks, luckily I landed some heavy blows to the guys struggling to get my bag not without me getting my own dose too and then retreated back to the road and insulted them more, taunting them to come to where there's light and fight, all these while they had my carton in their custody still, I went back to the Asaba bus, handed my bag over to a Northerner, I made sure of this because they have syndicates and returned back to the spot hauling insults at them and told them they will meet their waterloo, I went back to the bus and stood, one of them approached me and told me, I'm very stubborn and I should give him N500 to bring the carton which they put inside an Izuchukwu Busca, I obliged, however when he got to me, I gave him N150, he was infuriated and I told him of immediately, this happened on 30th June. I have bad tales about Onitsha and Aba, but I will stop here. If you are not from Onitsha, know your limits in between tough and a little diplomacy, in as much as they are scared as you are, they have nothing to lose because they are vagabonds. Onitsha is free for all.
To all Nairalanders, please copy this thread link and send to your sisters, brothers and etc, the world needs to know that Onitsha/Aba is a den of hoodlums and everyone approaching the city should be very careful, extremely careful and alert, make sure they read it as well.

Security tips to follow if you are driving mostly Sienna or any sophisticated vehicle

1. If you get to Asaba please "wound up" the car windows, central lock and keep a straight face if you don't know your way or new.
2. If someone points at your tires like an indication of flat tires, please do not ever stop abruptly to check them. You are likely to commit a dozen offense in their dictionary. Drive safely to a big Petrol station or look for a government facility, bank, hospital or church and drive in.
3. Learn how to use Google maps, do not ask any one for directions, if you must, drive into a Petrol station(big and functioning ones) there are small and near obsolete Petrol station who work hand in hand with these hoodlums, pretend to buy petrol because they are watching your every moves, and then ask the attendant for directions.
4. When you get directions, please do not raise your hands to point or try to demonstrate, this qualifies you as a JJC and you are inches close to being obtained.
5. If you want to buy soft drinks and etc, please hold your throat you won't die, just buy from those running up to the vehicle, however, do not "wound down" completely, a little for the bottle to pass through please.

Tips to Follow if you are Trekking

1. If they stop you at Lagos park, and you have luggages, get Keke (Drop), going to Owerri? Tell him to take you to ITC Park, from Owerri things are little calm. Going to Port-Harcourt, get to JCmass or Peace Park. Calabar and Akwa-Ibom, get to Owerri first.
2. Do not board unregistered buses, get to JCmass or Peace Park if you can make it, there's one on the Onitsha-Owerri road, and one by the left, get to the park and feel safe first. Try and get to JCmass first.
3. Do not ask random people for directions, scan the environment and ask traders with big shops, walk into a beer parlor or better still, ask POS attendants, they are everywhere, however, the red flag is, if they are watching you, they will assume you have money, ask, keep a straight face and walk boldly, not too boldly, a mixture of majestic and bold.
4. Do not accept random act of kindness from these angels, they are leading you to their den to be obtained.
5. Do not take unfamiliar shortcuts at night around the axis, you might be fatally wounded if involved in any scuffle with them.
6. Do not gesticulate unnecessarily.
7. Again, if you mistakenly fall into their trap, shout, keep shouting, only advisable during the day.

Please Nigerians should stop the I don't care attitude, I've been warned severally by my family, to stop the helper thing, but how will Nigeria get better, I do not need to narrate my ordeals trying to help people in the same condition

It's like I'll do a thread for Travelers who are unfamiliar with their route, hopefully when I'm free.

Alliteration:
I initially thought they did it to us because we are from the southwest with language barrier. But, I was dazed when I saw igbo women weeping after extortion communicating in the same language...

Someone collected money and vanished another person will appear to ask another money... U will pay whatever they ask under duress
Why this please?

So sorry.

samwillyco1:
Sorry Bros, but next time be wise and rugged. Upper Iweaka is a very bad area for the first timers if you don't change your step to look like that of rugged guy. Next time ask for help from those street traders, and
Finally, learn a lesson has been passed, but as a guy you messed up.ooo

What do you mean by that? Is he even from that part of the country to know how things operate? Why are you blaming him?

Binance:


If you don't equally breport the abuse that leds to the outburst heaven will judge you

hahahaha e pain am
enjoy your ban dumbass

WisdomHunter:


Because it's onitsha, that's why you are talking this shit if it where Lagos or any other part of west or north you won't be saying this trash, I'm not in support of criminal no matter where the perpetrator came from but criminalizing Onitsha is as clear as criminalizing IGBOS.
What I have to say is no where is save in Nigeria, because you have not have this kind of experience in Lagos or any other part across Nigeria those not mean onitsha is worst

Man! Am Igbo guy also, but honestly speaking it is worst in Onitsha let's be honest with ourselves. Onitsha is Den of robbers!

WisdomHunter:


Because it's onitsha, that's why you are talking this shit if it where Lagos or any other part of west or north you won't be saying this trash, I'm not in support of criminal no matter where the perpetrator came from but criminalizing Onitsha is as clear as criminalizing IGBOS.
What I have to say is no where is save in Nigeria, because you have not have this kind of experience in Lagos or any other part across Nigeria those not mean onitsha is worst

I think you should change your moniker to foolish Hunter cos that's what fits slow brains like you

Tinyemeka:


What do you mean by that? Is he even from that part of the country to know how things operate? Why are you blaming him?

Am not blaming him much but as a man when you enter any new environment you have to code the behaviors of those within and behave like them to avoid some certain things.

flokii:
The average Ipobian has no conscience.. reason they can do anything just to make money.

Do you want to tell me the park has no association and chairman? no LGA chairman.. they are all the same. To them it's being "sharp" but the curses that go about with most of them no be here.

@OP you better thank your stars that they didn't kidnap you and sell to ritualists.

Say by a skull miner and human parts harvester from ogun state.

Better stay in your ritualistic region. Mumu

People that are pointing at aba, I don't think such thing happens in aba, they only use agboros to load motors making it look like the car is almost full, but to force and intimidate u is not happening, so any body with direct experience should tell us

collagiatepaper:
Shut up liar. I have entered bus at Ojota(Lagos) to Onitsha and they collected my money, and after spending hours, they refused to leave the park. It was after past 12noon we realised they were touts because all of them disappeared leaving the bus. We were confused as to whether to sit in the bus till night or board another bus to Onitsha. The issue of motorpark touting is more in Lagos. I haven't even mentioned oshodi, Maza maza, etc

Terrible Liar

Before you insult me

I'm from the East

Omoo, shey this country fit better like this? I once boarded a board from Onitsha to Lagos. I never experienced somethin like this sha, maybe I was lucky that day

Anambra 1st son will never be in a thread like this, na to dey post pictures and stats of Anambra as the most developed state.

I just dey laugh, the onitsha story has always been there for ages, it's nothing new at all. The so called gateway to the SE. Nonsense

collagiatepaper:



Lagos touts are the worst. Visit ojota, maza maza, oshodi, etc, i am tallest out of experience. What about Lagos traffic robberies?

I agree with traffic robberies. But the tale of touts practically robbing you at the park is unheard of. And the fact that it is a well known activity is beyond comprehension.

It's like saying you are forced/ threatened to enter a bus to Benin and you get dropped at ore and told to find your way. Its really strange and can never happen in lagos.

samwillyco1:
Sorry Bros, but next time be wise and rugged. Upper Iweaka is a very bad area for the first timers if you don't change your step to look like that of rugged guy, they bad guys will know that you are a Jonny just come and come after you. Next time ask for help from those street traders, and
Finally, a lesson has been passed, but as a guy you messed up.ooo

Rubbish. Maybe the governor of that state should write boldly at the entrance to the state "All sense of basic and common decency is not to be found here. Please be rugged".

This isn't the first time we are hearing of such tales from people who have used various motor parks in the east.

Na curse?

armadeo:


I agree with traffic robberies. But the tale of touts practically robbing you at the park is unheard of. And the fact that it is a well known activity is beyond comprehension.

It's like saying you are forced/ threatened to enter a bus to Benin and you get dropped at ore and told to find your way. Its really strange and can never happen in lagos.

It is common at Ojota and maza maza

collagiatepaper:
Shut up liar. I have entered bus at Ojota(Lagos) to Onitsha and they collected my money, and after spending hours, they refused to leave the park. It was after past 12noon we realised they were touts because all of them disappeared leaving the bus. We were confused as to whether to sit in the bus till night or board another bus to Onitsha. The issue of motorpark touting is more in Lagos. I haven't even mentioned oshodi, Maza maza, etc

Lol.

I'm sure you don't even know where Ojota is.

Be lying up and down.

I'm sure your conscience, if not dead, will be scolding you for lying.

Bold faced lies.

Who dem born well make e come steal for park in the southwest?

They collected money from you and ran away?

Lol. You must be confusing Lagos for Anambra.

Ojota is after Maryland if you are coming from Ikeja.

TripleOh7:


Lol.

I'm sure you don't even know where Ojota is.

Be lying up and down.

I'm sure your conscience, if not dead, will be scolding you for lying.

Bold faced lies.

Who dem born well make e come steal for park in the southwest?

They collected money from you and ran away?

Lol. You must be confusing Lagos for Anambra.

collagiatepaper:
Ojota is after Maryland if you are coming from Ikeja.

So you sat in the car.

Then some people came and collected money from all of you and then ran away?

Lol. You sef think am. E make sense?

TripleOh7:


So you sat in the car.

Then some people came and collected money from all of you and then ran away?

Lol. You sef think am. E make sense?

They collected TP from us and we waited for like 2hrs inside the bus. We were just 3 in the bus. They pretended as though they were looking for more passengers and disappeared from there. It was as though it was jazzy things

ubee:
This story hit home for me. I am not a bigot or an ethnic jingoist, but truth be told easterners really need to work on themselves to end this very bad and dubious tendencies that they are known for.

I have my own experience at the hands of transporters from that region. Many years back i wanted to travel to PH from Lag, but it was around past 10am, and all the reputable transporters which i would have used, had ended the loading of PH vehicles.
It was a Sunday and by all means i had to make the trip, as I had an exam the next day in my school.
I had to take a decision i would never have taken before. I went to a park in Ojota where they load 14 seaters, that aren't registered under any company. It's a conspicuous park at Ojota. They normally put up signs that read - Owerri, Onitsha, Aba, PH.
I paid and boarded one of the buses.
We reached Onitsha, everyone alighted, and the driver just casually went away, and it was then i realized from one or two victims like me that they were not going any further. I was shocked to my marrow.
Most people in the bus stopped at Onitsha. I think we were about 3 people that unknowingly fell into those fraudsters hands. It was getting dark. I had to go to a junction not far away to see if the buses on the highway were loading PH.
I waited, and waited till it was completely dark, and a young man advised me not to stand there as i could get robbed.
I felt so emotionally destroyed, as i realized that i would not be able to arrive in time for my exam which was starting by 8am.
I had to go back inside the park with my luggage, found an empty bus, and slept till the next morning when i took a bus to PH.
THE carry over i ultimately got in that course caused me major problems for graduation.
On analysing what happened to me i realized that these parks will just put up those PH signs but almost never reach PH. THey stop at Onitsha. They put up PH signs in order to load their buses much quicker by deceiving unknowing passengers.
Easterners need to work on themselves. It is very strange that people can live their lives off deceiving and cheating people off their money.
They do this all over the country. Even buses loading from Aba to PH. Many of them will say the final busstop will be at mile 1 in PH, but on arriving PH at Eleme junction they will tell everyone to alight from the bus, that they are not going again.
Which kind of people are these? How do people live that type of life?

You ppl keep falling into this pit that tends to rubbish your grievances.
You probably have 100s of easterners as schoolmates, classmates, neighbours etc.
HOW MANY OF THEM LIVE THEIR LIVES TRYING TO CHEAT YOU?
Why rub the tar on the whole tribe?
The agberos who stab ppl to death everyday in Lagos in a bid to snatch phones and personal belongings,are they Igbos?
Try to cure yourself of propaganda fueled Igbo hatred,there is no tribe that doesn't have such ppl.
To a Yoruba man who lived 30yrs in Enugu and who maybe flies in and out,these stories will sound strange to him,yet he is in d same Igbo land.

collagiatepaper:

I am right now in Onitsha and it is cool. I can confidently tell you that motorpark touting is the same everywhere in Nigeria. Lagos and Ibadan are even worse, particularly Lagos

Africans are very SENTIMENTAL. That is part of why the continent is faced with gross under-development, despite being the most resource-and-climate-rich region on this planet!

This is not about TRIBE or REGION. These are personal experiences being shared by people who suffered such. I have lived in and/or visited places like Benin, Asaba, Agbor, Enugu, Onitsha, Okigwe, Owerri, Aba, Nnewi, Lagos, Ibadan, Oshogbo, Ilorin, Offa, Jebba, Mokwa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kaura-Namoda, Okene, Lokoja, Kano, Makurdi, Calabar, Uyo, Port-Harcourt etc.

I can authoritatively tell you that my worst experiences with touts, fake local government officials, and criminal-minded policemen, have been at ONITSHA. Remember that there could be innocent souls planning to travel that route, and whose money, property, peace of mind or even lives might be saved by reading this type of post by the OP.

Sentiment and tribal jingoism aside, let's learn to call a spade a spade!

BKayy:
"All roads"
I know them. Their ticket doesn't have specific destination (it has four to five cities in it). They have been doing that thing since time immemorial. They operate at down flyover at Chisco park opposite the old faith park that ANSG cleared. They are always fight ready.
Their target is non Indigenes.
Mr OP sorry for your experience. This is why we need Biafra. Police is part of them. They operate opposite police Checkpoints.
Their other stands are opposite side of the flyover facing Main market road, another towards ITC Park and another again before city park as you are about to detour obodo ukwu Road.
Everybody knows them. They are protected by the Police. They can beat you up if you enter their trap. Once you enter, it is either you wait for many hours for them to get more victims or you forfeit your money.
Their targets are those going to Lagos, Benin, Osun, Ekiti, Owerri, Portharcourt and Delta. For some reasons they avoid Aba. They charge times 3 of the normal fare, charge for any load even hand bag and lavish insults on the complainants.
They carry even those that are not going to their destination and drop them at junctions where they colleagues are and balance the victim any amount they like. If the victim complains their colleagues at that location will beat hell into that person. For example they can carry someone going to Warri in Lagos destined bus and drop that person before Agbor Junction where their men are. They have syndicates that occupy the bus when you come, making it look like it is a normal bus.
Once again, sorry for your experience

This is quite terrible.

Reeberry:
You talks like them.

Because I've stayed there over the years. Talk about environmental influence

Benzemma:


Guy am full blooded Igbo. I feel more safe both in park and on the street ( day time precisely) than Onitsha, cos my recent encounter and the story i have been hearing from people concerning theft in Onitsha made me believe that Onitsha is the worst city to be. A city where you will get robbed in public on a broad daylight and no body dares come to your rescue or questioning them, not even the police. I repeat Lagos is much better than Onitsha. Igbo leaders should do something B4 it's too late.

efulefu get out of my way... the Touts in lagos and ogun nko

macdammy:


Why do you guys always have to quote long messages like this before saying what you have to say?

Can't you just reply without quoting what OP typed?

Rubbish and spices.

Nigerians! Abeg which wan be rubbish and spices lol?