The plight of Commercial bus owners in the city of Lagos in the hands of LASTMA/Police task force MUST be brought to the attention of the authorities with immediate effect.

There is hardly any month I don't spend up to N200,000.00 or more to bail Commercial buses from taskforce office. Two weeks ago, I spent N41,500.00 to bail one. What was the driver's offence you may ask? He had just dropped passengers at the bus stop and was about driving out before they blocked him front and back, forced him out of the bus and told him that as he was about driving out of the bus stop, one leg was outside the white line drawn. He asked, how can I drive out without crossing this line just like everyone else must do? Did they listen? No! The bus was taken to Ikeja and N41,500 was paid to bail the volkswagen T4 bus. As I write this, I will continue to support the contravention of any vehicle which breaches any traffic law and have the driver pay the appropriate fine. But what I have witnessed in most parts of Lagos is that this so called "Task force" team, a combination of Police and LASTMA officials are on an illegal revenue drive rather than law enforcement.

Now to the very essence of this post: Last Wednesday, one of my drivers ran out of diesel along Egbeda_Igando Road as the high cost of diesel is not allowing them buy much quantity most times now. He parked the bus at a safe location and took his gallon to get two litres of diesel. Upon returning back, he filled in the diesel, started the bus and while the bus was trying to pick up, they double-crossed him.

Having bailed another vehicle belonging to the same owner only last week (yes he helped the other driver who was contravened last week to bail his bus as they both work for the same owner), one of the officers recognised him and begged his colleagues to let the boy go as he was at their office last week to bail a vehicle. Others objected. Some said "has he not been working since that time?" Some said "wetin(sic) we go tell oga for office?" Others quipped "how do we meet our target?" The driver begged them, explained his situation to them, they beat him black and blue tore his shirts into shreds and drove him to Ikeja.

On their way,he begged them to drive the bus himself as the person driving wasn't selecting the gear well. ( o yes, they have damaged a lot of the buses while taking them to their office in Oshodi or Ikeja). They refused and told him he would run away if he is given the chance to drive. The driver wasn't armed, but they were fully armed. So I wonder how he would have escaped with the bus.

On getting to Ikeja under bridge, they chased him out of the vehicle. They took the bus for a raid in ketu and in the process, the diesel finished. Rather than buy diesel, they bought petrol into a diesel engine and of course the vehicle couldn't start. They forced it and in the process the engine knocked. Even in the process of pushing and forcing it, a trailer I was told came in contact with some parts of the back and damaged it.

Did I tell you that while they took the vehicle for a raid in ketu, the driver paid in the charged fine of N31, 000.00. He paid the fine and yet the vehicle got damaged. It has been parked down since that Wednesday 30th March, 2022 till now.

I have briefed my Lawyer and asked the driver to go and let them know I would take up the case and all they told him was if he feels he can make case with government, he should go to court.

I am determined to get justice, I will pursue that case in court. I have a good case, and I believe I would get justice even if it delays.

I tweeted at the governor of Lagos State this morning asking him if the mandate of the Taskforce also include using a contravened vehicle for a raid and damaging the engine and the body?

I leave Nigerians to air their views on this matter.

This is serious