THE Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has raised the alarm that the unchecked activities of hoodlums in the Apapa-Ijora and Tin Can-Mile 2 areas of the port’ access roads in Lagos resulted in the loss of over 40 lives annually.
In a chat with newsmen, the Executive Secretary of NARTO, Aloga Ogbogo painted a grim picture of the daily ordeal faced by truck drivers at different illegal checkpoints littered along the ports access roads.
According to the NARTO Executive Secretary, “As you approach them, they get on the truck, and start attacking you, asking for money, distracting you. Sometimes they even go ahead to pull the gasoline supply to the trucks to ensure that the truck comes to a standstill. When that happens, it causes unnecessary hold-ups, because the truck blocks the road,” he explained.
He said the violence and intimidation tactics often employed by these hoodlums usually escalate to physical assaults where the drivers are most often beaten-up, trucks vandalized, and valuable cargo sometimes stolen.
“They break the windscreen of the truck, attack the driver, bring the vehicle to a halt. Most of these activities are negatively impacting trucking business and the drivers.
“The result is not only a disruption of logistics and supply chains but also a significant financial burden on truck owners who must repair damaged vehicles and compensate injured drivers. The human cost of this lawlessness is devastating.
“On average, we counted close to about 40 to 45 drivers who lost their lives due to these attacks. Some die instantly, while others succumb to their injuries later. The ones that die instantly were close to about 20 to 25. Then, there are those who go to the hospital and subsequently die” he said.
He lamented that these numbers reflect only a portion of the true toll, as many incidents go unreported due to the lack of proper documentation and attacks on the drivers.
He added that the psychological impact on the drivers who survive these attacks is profound as they live in constant fear of being assaulted or killed on the job, which takes a toll on their mental health and overall well-being.
Ogbogo further lamented that many drivers suffer from anxiety and stress, knowing that each trip could be their last, with the ripple effect extending to their families, who must cope with the loss or incapacitation of their primary breadwinners. This, in-turn, he said affects the larger community and economy, as the loss of skilled labour disrupts productivity and economic stability.
“The economic implications of this ongoing crisis are substantial. The trucking industry plays a vital role in Nigeria’s economy, facilitating the movement of goods and services across the country and beyond. However, the activities of hoodlums in Apapa-Ijora and Tin Can-Mile 2 significantly hinder this process” he lamented.
He said despite the severe impact on lives and the economy, efforts to curb the menace of hoodlums have been largely ineffective.
He noted that the presence of security agencies in these areas has not deterred the criminals, who continue to operate with impunity.
Specifically, he alleged that: “These things are happening not too far from Area ‘B’ police station in Apapa, yet nobody is saying anything. It’s not a good development for the trucking business.
“We use this opportunity to call on law enforcement agencies to do the needful and clear these ‘area boys’ from the port corridor,” Ogbogo urges.”
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