ABEOKUTA — Commuters and drivers along Adigbe-Opako road, in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, have cried out over a police check point at Ita-Baale junction, which according to them have affected transport fare due to the extortion from the police officers.
Investigation revealed that commercial motorcyclists along the road were charged N200 each, while cab drivers pay as high as N300 before being allowed to pass the check point.
This activities has however affected the transportation fare incured by commuters plying the road, especially in the evenings when the check point is always mounted.
Speaking with our reporter, a Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta (MAPOLY) student, identify only as Enny lamented that most commercial motorcyclists will always charge exorbitantly, saying that they will still need to ‘sort’ the policemen at the check point.
She further said that it has become more difficult getting bikes into Adigbe, Alowonle and it’s environs in the evenings due to this ‘illegal’ activities of the policemen along the route, saying that commercial motorcyclists no longer find the route profitable.
“We have suffer for too long along this road. Each time, we pay over and above N500 for a fare of N200 just because some policemen will collect N200 from the bike men. This is not even a one off, but at every time he passes the check point.
” How do they want the bike men to even take something home, and this whole brunt is on us the students who form over 70 percent of the people living around this environment “, she said
She however called on relevant authorities to look into the activities of the policemen, while calling for measures to be put in place for proper security checks, and not extortion which hitherto have affected negatively, the transportation fare along the axis
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) SP Odutola Omolola before filing this report proof abortive as her phone was switched off.
