Call Lugbe VIO to order

It was on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 around 5pm that parked my car at the bus stop to buy fruits. Immediately I came out of the car, a group of VIO men in mufti came and asked for my papers.

I didn’t argue with them. I brought out my car papers and my driver’s licence and gave them. They went through them and saw they had not expired. Yet they took over my car and drove it to their office in Lugbe. There I discovered that about five cars were arrested, though some had expired particulars.

When I asked what my offence was, NO REASON whatsoever was given. Yet we were asked to come the following day - Wednesday 18th between 8am - 12pm.

The following day I got there around 10am but the officer in-charge was not on duty. I again asked the VIO, one Simeon, what my offence was but none was written in the record submitted to him. We were asked to wait for the superior officer to come. This oga didn’t come until 2pm. So, when the team leader finally arrived, I asked him what offence I committed and this time, the man said “Illegal parking and using private car for commercial”.

He booked me N35,000. He advised me to see their ‘oga’, the Oga reduced the fine to N7,500. Officer Simeon collected the money and gave permission paper to release my car. On getting to the gate, the security man said I must pay N500 demurrage.

So, in total I paid the sum of N8,000 for committing no traffic offence whatsoever. Please call uniformed offenders to order.

Tijani Babalola Saheed wrote from Kuje Abuja tsbabumaryam2012@ gmail.com