Passengers Lament As Lagos Drivers, Louts Raise Fares

 By Ayodele Ifasakin 

Passengers travelling into Ogun State from various parts of Lagos State were stranded on Sunday as levy collectors, commonly known as Agberos (louts), hiked transport fares at the Berger Bus Stop.

Passengers Lament As Lagos Drivers, Louts Raise Fares

A PUNCH Metro correspondent who monitored activities at the bus shed on Sunday observed that the agberos were informing incoming drivers from Lagos, who parked to pick up passengers heading to Arepo, Magboro, Ibafo, and Mowe in Ogun State, of the new fare prices.

Passengers, including worshippers and children returning from church, were seen stranded, pleading with drivers to reduce the transport fares.

Our correspondent observed that drivers charged commuters travelling to Mowe a flat fare of up to N1000, regardless of whether passengers intended to alight at any of the stops along the route.

The previous fare prices from the bus stop to the mentioned areas were N300, N400, and N500. However, when our correspondent arrived at the park around 3:00 pm on Sunday, drivers charged up to N1000 for the same journey.

A passenger named Adewale, heading to Arepo, had refused to board a bus charging N700 to Mowe, but was left in shock when the fare was further raised to N1000.

However, he lamented that after the vehicle departed, subsequent buses were instructed by the agberos to start charging N1000 for the trip.

“I was here when they charged N700 for any stop on the way to Mowe and Ibafo. I didn’t board because I thought the agberos would instruct the drivers to lower the price once more buses arrived.

“But unfortunately, as more buses arrived, the agberos kept telling the drivers to raise the fare. I’m shocked. This is pure wickedness,” Adewale lamented.

Joshua, a worshipper, who returned from church, informed our correspondent that the agberos were the main cause of the fare hike and urged authorities to find a lasting solution to the problem.

He said, “These individuals were dictating the fares to the drivers to increase their earnings. As the fares go up, they collect more from the drivers, leaving the passengers to bear the burden.”

A lady, who chose not to reveal her name, lamented the hours she had spent at the park because she couldn’t afford the increased fare.

“I didn’t budget for this when I left home this morning. I’ve been here for hours, and the drivers keep increasing the fares,” she lamented.

When our correspondent discussed the sudden fare hike at the bus stop, a driver who identified himself as Kazeem said he had filled his bus tank with fuel purchased from the black market.

“There’s no fuel available; the queues are too long. The fuel I’m using now was bought at black market prices. Do you expect us to charge the same rates?” Kazeem queried.

Lagos residents lament as robbers kill two in reprisal

Residents and traders on Okoya Street in the Ajegunle area of Lagos State have lamented the robbery attack that allegedly led to the death of two guards and the burglary of many shops.

The attack, which reportedly happened around 2am on Tuesday, was said to have been a reprisal by the robbers against a vigilance group contracted to guard the community.


PUNCH Metro had reported on May 8, 2018, that a salesman, identified as Obinna, was allegedly killed by a police stray bullet during a street fight involving some youths and hoodlums who invaded Okoya Street.

The hoodlums, reportedly identified as Cemetery Boys, had allegedly been robbing and terrorising residents.

Our correspondent learnt that in a bid to curb the attacks by the hoodlums, the vigilance group had engaged them for about three days.

A member of the vigilance group, Kamoru Lateef, alleged that the Tuesday robbers were Cemetery Boys, adding that they were led by one Kaka.

Lateef also said the hoodlums, who were armed with guns and other weapons allegedly killed two guards, identified as Jesse Onanuba and Isa.

He said, “The Cemetery Boys killed two members of our group. They shot Isa and Jesse Onanuba. When they killed Jesse, they cut his two hands and private parts. They shot Isa in the chest.

“Before this attack, the Cemetery Boys had robbed a resident of Okoya of his mobile phone. After he reported to us, two members of our group went on a peace meeting to retrieve the phone.

“They stabbed the peacemakers with daggers and we reported the matter to the Layeni Police Station.

“It was after this incident that they attacked us. I saw them burgled some shops and stole goods and other property. Some residents and vigilance group members came out to protect the community, but we never knew they had guns. It was too late when the boys knew that they had guns; and that was how Isa and Jesse were killed.”

Our correspondent gathered that the family of the deceased had yet to locate the corpses of their sons.

The eldest brother of late Jesse, Christian Chukwunedu, said he did not know how to break the news of his brother’s death to his parents.

“The police have not made any arrest; they have refused to provide the remains of my brother; I want the government to investigate this incident because I want justice for my brother.”

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A 35-year-old bar owner, Ejiro Omoniyi, said she lost N400,000 to the hoodlums.”

The state police spokesman, CSP Chike Oti, said, “There is neither record of murder at Layeni nor any other police station in the Ajegunle area. If there is any such case, we encourage residents to report to the police so that proper investigation can be done.”

Agege, Orile Agege Communities Lament Absence of Waste Disposal Trucks

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News reaching AgegePulse now says there has been dearth of wastes disposal trucks in some major communities of Agege and Orile-Agege for over a months.

The absence of these wastes disposal trucks, we gathered, has allowed repugnant odour permeate the affected streets through the heaps of refuses deposited on the streets.

Some of the affected communities include:  Adedosu Street, Amoo Street, Morounfolu Street, Isiaka Street, Oko Oba, Adamo Kabiawu Street, amongst others.

A member of one of the affected communities, Mr. Olaleye Rotimi told AgegePulse that when operatives of LAWMA were contacted, they claimed they are battling with vehicular problem, issue at their discharge points and nonchalant attitude of the people towards payment of their waste Bills.

Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of Agege LG,  Hon. Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi has promised to address the waste management and other environmental issues within few weeks.

Hon. Egunjobi made the promise when Hon. Sherifat Abiodun Adedoyin paid courtesy visit on him in his office.