LAGOS, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, is reeling under the strangulating grip of street thugs, violent transport union enforcers also known as agbero, cultists and sundry criminals. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu must reengineer the security and transportation systems to surmount these threats that have made living in Lagos barely tolerable for its 22 million residents.

Agberos are making life difficult for Lagosians, with transporters and commuters at the receiving end. At every bus stop and junction, they impose and extort multiple levies from commercial bus drivers, tricycle and motorcycle riders and violently assault those who dare to question their authority. Because of them, transport fares are astronomical. In October 2022, Lagos drivers declared a strike after accusing the state-favoured union faction of illegal tax collection and violent harassment.

The touts are at every park, garage, and highway; they have taken over federal, state, and inner-city roads. Some drivers have lost their lives, and many have sustained lifelong injuries. Lured by the easy pickings, the agberos and cultists have multiplied to thousands, spread to every remote part of the state, and have become a menace, given to violent street fights, petty crimes, and open drug abuse.

The concept of agbero as originally intended was for transport workers to support drivers at the motor parks, particularly inter-state garages. This is where their activities are restricted, and they would be paid for their help. Now, they rarely mobilise passengers, but just extort money.

In 1998/99, the then military administrator, Mohammed Marwa, curtailed their operations, but politicians reactivated them. President Bola Tinubu, governor from 1999 to 2007, is widely blamed for the resurgence and empowerment of the agberos.

Lagos needs to deal decisively with the menace of gridlock. A Lagos-based research firm, Danne Institute, in 2021 said the state loses about N4trillion annually to gridlock. Aside from the high volume of vehicles, the traffic is sometimes caused by road rehabilitation. But more often, it is down to the lawlessness of minibus drivers who drop and pick up passengers on the main carriageways, drive against traffic and generally flout all traffic regulations.

Lagos must enforce its traffic laws and restore sanity to the roads. Unenforced, laws are useless. Commercial motorcyclists are still plying the restricted routes and bridges in several parts of the state, where they constitute a nuisance to other road users and form lynch mobs.

Cultists and street gangs are having a field day. These criminals, who parade themselves as ‘Eiye,’ ‘Aiye’ members, among others, engage in street battles and reprisal killings. Their activities are pronounced in areas like Ojota, Ketu-Mile 12, Somolu, Bariga, Agege, Ikorodu, Ojo, Ebute Meta, Ijora, Mushin and Obalende.

https://punchng.com/sanwo-olu-rid-lagos-of-criminals-extortionists/?amp

Hmmm

Kj

Those guys are so useless, constituting nuisance on the road

That was how one of them mistakenly injured me with that their useless stick, he apologised, but when I saw blood, I just gripped his down-below trouser so tightly until people gathered and begged me

Tinubu is an Taut

Hmm

Yimu. All this Lagos agebro talk no fit sell again. Election don end. Last time I checked, Lagos Agbero activities are exaggerated for political reasons coz they don't disturb common folk. If you want to see confam Agebro go to the South East where theirs don't restrict their activities to bus stops and motor parks like the Lagos ones, but are visible in their marketplaces harassing people with deadly weapons. In Lagos, the only weapon you'll find with an agbero is a cane used for flogging errant bus drivers.

Lagos agebros are not like ipob terrorists nor are they bandits that have been terrorizing, kidnapping and killing people for years without an end in sight. The average Lagosian has no problem with them except if you're an Obidient who thinks he can exaggerate their activities for political purposes.

Na only Lagos Agbero dey.

They don't exist in any other states in Nigeria.

Make una continue to dey wear pampas for mosquito

They have come to stay... So no need

It is very annoying how Lagos state government gives these agberos such audacity. Very annoying set of idiots. Agbero really need a total reform in Lagos. Government should let people know who and who are supposed to collect levy. Not that one small idiot will be asking driver for Owo ale (Evening money) Omo i weak that day I heard it. Those agbero boys at Ajah under bridge and Ilaje are really constituting nuisance every blessed day..

Different headline
Different content
Different information from Punch..

Eventually, y’all will be alright!

Ipob newspaper. Tinubu that banned NURTW, they went to court and won the Lagos State government in the court.


The man has conquered all your lies to emerge President, yet you continue trying to tarnish his image. Associate him with all the bad things in Lagos, dissociate him from all the good stuff. By the grace of God, all of you will labour to death, since you are determined to bring down a person whom God almighty has blessed beyond your imagination, God will destroy all you labour to achieve in this life.

He's called father of agbero for a reason.

RockHard:
Yimu. All this Lagos agebro talk no fit sell again. Election don end. Last time I checked. Lagos Agberos activities are exaggerated for political reasons coz they don't disturb common folk. If you want to see confam Agebro go to the South East where theirs don't restrict their activities to bus stops and motor parks like the Lagos ones, but are visible in their marketplaces harassing people with deadly weapons. In Lagos, the only weapon you'll find with an agbero is a cane used for flogging errant bus drivers.

Lagos agebros are not like ipob terrorist or are they bandits that have been terrorizing, kidnapping and killing people for years without an end in sight. The average Lagosian has no problem with them except if you're an Obidient who thinks he can exaggerate their activities for political purposes.

Bro, some people actually worship and praise hypocrisy daily.

Attached below Na daily tickets by drivers from one state outside Lagos state.

Na only them get solution to others problems but are just clueless to solve theirs

Lagos agberos were the lazy youths Buhari was referring to during his tenure

Darammliveth:
It is very annoying how Lagos state government gives these agberos such audacity. Very annoying set of idiots. Agbero really need a total reform in Lagos. Government should let people know who and who are supposed to collect levy. Not that one small idiot will be asking driver for Owo ale (Evening money) Omo i weak that day I heard it. Those agbero boys at Ajah under bridge and Ilaje are really constituting nuisance every blessed day..

Ihateheadslamer:
Lagos agberos were the lazy youths Buhari was referring to during his tenure

UGM must have been productive youths

Nigeria cannot be a serious country.

A template has been set on how to grab power...

Other politicians will analyse it, tweak it and apply in future elections

You don't sow the wind and then turn to fulminate when the whirlwind emerges...

You'll get hypertension because of everything about Anambra state

helinues:


Bro, some people actually worship and praise hypocrisy daily.

Attached below Na daily tickets by drivers from one state outside Lagos state.

Na only them get solution to others problems but are just clueless to solve theirs

Well know fact!

Ihateheadslamer:
You'll get hypertension because of everything about Anambra state

Sinners runneth when no one pursueth.

Did I mention any state?

helinues:


Bro, some people actually worship and praise hypocrisy daily.

Attached below Na daily tickets by drivers from one state outside Lagos state.

Na only them get solution to others problems but are just clueless to solve theirs

No mind them. We know the game they're playing. They make it seem as if Agbero activities are only in Lagos. Their format no dey work again. In Lagos they blame agbero activities on Tinubu who banned NURTW when he first became governor but was taken to court by the national body who won their case against him. We know their real target and motive but it will continue to fail as it did pre and post elections.

Watch as Tinubu unfortunate followers will come here and tag punch newspaper " Igbo Newspapers" .

Tinubu followers are the dumbest set of humans ever known to man

helinues:


Bro, some people actually worship and praise hypocrisy daily.

Attached below Na daily tickets by drivers from one state outside Lagos state.

Na only them get solution to others problems but are just clueless to solve theirs

You hardly do seriously thinking before talking....

What is the proof of what you are stating and where did it happen?

Which kind of silly logic is an adult like you propagating this early in the morning?

Armed robbers and other criminals should be tolerated in Sokoto State because, after all, there also armed robbers in Ebonyi State. Now how sensible does that sound?

The only city in the South East where touts operate is Onitsha and you don't need me to tell you how successive governments have fought them to a standstill...

There is an MC Oluomo in Lagos who wields the kind of power that the governor dares not contemplate...

May we know any tout in the South East with any kind of name recognition?

Kill mindless tribalism before it destroys YOU!

Ihateheadslamer:
Lagos agberos were the lazy youths Buhari was referring to during his tenure

You'd see a small boy of 17yrs and less yelling on top of his voice that he must collect loading money, even when the driver picked only one passenger on that spot.

maestroferddi:
You hardly do seriously thinking before talking....

What is the proof of what you are stating and where did it happen?

Which kind of silly logic is an adult like you propagating this early in the morning?

Armed robbers and other criminals should be tolerated in Sokoto State because, after all, there also armed robbers in Ebonyi State.

Proof?

Sebi super glue dey your eyes you couldn't see the picture I attached...

Hian

RockHard:
Yimu. All this Lagos agebro talk no fit sell again. Election don end. Last time I checked. Lagos Agbero activities are exaggerated for political reasons coz they don't disturb common folk. If you want to see confam Agebro go to the South East where theirs don't restrict their activities to bus stops and motor parks like the Lagos ones, but are visible in their marketplaces harassing people with deadly weapons. In Lagos, the only weapon you'll find with an agbero is a cane used for flogging errant bus drivers.

Lagos agebros are not like ipob terrorist nor are they bandits that have been terrorizing, kidnapping and killing people for years without an end in sight. The average Lagosian has no problem with them except if you're an Obidient who thinks he can exaggerate their activities for political purposes.

Do you live in Lagos?

Everything said in the article is true. Transport cost is outrageous because of agberos and they are the reason for 40% of Lagos traffic

RockHard:
Yimu. All this Lagos agebro talk no fit sell again. Election don end. Last time I checked. Lagos Agbero activities are exaggerated for political reasons coz they don't disturb common folk. If you want to see confam Agebro go to the South East where theirs don't restrict their activities to bus stops and motor parks like the Lagos ones, but are visible in their marketplaces harassing people with deadly weapons. In Lagos, the only weapon you'll find with an agbero is a cane used for flogging errant bus drivers.

Lagos agebros are not like ipob terrorist nor are they bandits that have been terrorizing, kidnapping and killing people for years without an end in sight. The average Lagosian has no problem with them except if you're an Obidient who thinks he can exaggerate their activities for political purposes.

Punch published their article on Agberos in Lagos, you got so triggered that you went on a whataboutism spree.

Godisablealltim:
Tinubu is now president, let support him with our prayers.

Mumu talk.

Iamzik:


Do you live in Lagos?

Everything said in the article is true. Transport cost is outrageous because of agberos and they are the reason for 40% of Lagos traffic

Is Lagos the only state with NURTW activities? Why the fixation on Lagos and its connection to Tinubu? The drivers that agbero activities affect can take them to court.

helinues:


Proof?

Sebi super glue dey your eyes you couldn't see the picture I attached...

Hian

I maintain that you flinch at doing critical thinking...

How are we sure that you did not gather these vouchers all together to do what you have a forte for?

Ogbeni, raise your game...

Agberos never bother anyone on the streets. They go about their business in parks. I don't understand why Punch had to attach Asiwaju's name to it just for traction. ENKR!