Problem of Area Boys Task Force in Nigeria.
The level of touts on the streets in Nigeria is too much, from Warri to Lagos to Benin to Portharcourt to Anambra, Imo, Aba etc.
These guys are backed by the government in the name of TASK FORCE, some of them are even given uniform and the manner the way they approach you whether you default or not is so aggressive and annoying. They smell alcohol and marijuana, deadly criminals without guns during the day under the shadow of government TASK FORCE.
I have encountered them several times but some I can remember is as follows.
Warri:
Some years ago My elder brother and I was driving along the popular Effurun Market/Jakpa junction in Warri, there is a malfunctioning traffic light at the junction with bad spots on the road, so when the green light comes up you have to slow down to drive through the bad spots and the traffic light counts so fast, immediately it finished counting these area boys TASK FORCE rushed out from there hiding along the road and locked my tyre because I was still some meters away to cross off the junction for cars in the other direction to pass, it wasn't only me but any car they manage to block was there shop at that moment. They don't even consider the bad spots on the road. They surrounded the car and was trying to force there way in but I locked the doors, they asked me to come out so they can take the car to their office or I should settle with them but I refused. I showed them the deadly bad spots on the road that slowed my movement but they never listened. After much argument and negotiation I gave them two thousand naira to let me go.
My second experience with these area boys TASK FORCE was still in Effurun Market, Warri Delta State. The market women are so stubborn that they shift their goods to occupy half of the road even when the so called area boys TASK FORCE chase them away. On that unfortunate day I parked along the road and went inside the market for shopping only for me to return and saw a number written on a paper in front of my windscreen, they removed one of my plate number, I suddenly changed to a wounded lion, I called the number immediately and the hungry criminals came and said I parked on the road even when they are seeing half of the road occupied by market women, they charged me 25k. How they normally bill their victims is the size and standard of car and they will even say it that you are rich so you should pay without complain, I drove Mercedes Benz SUV that very day. After much gragra shout and quarrel with them I gave them 2k to let me go.
Benin City:
My experience with these area boys TASK FORCE in Edo State happened in the popular ring road roundabout. My uncle was the one driving, they blocked us while we were still on the road just because we were not on the right track that will lead us to the road to our destination, they took advantage of us as strangers and was trying to force us to their office but at the end we spent twenty thousand naira to settle with them.
To be continued.....
Thank you for reading, see you in the next topic from my desk.