Abuja haulage drivers allege extortion, seek Wike’s intervention

Abuja haulage drivers, represented by the Abuja Delivery Van Union, have called upon the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to address the alleged extortion of motorists during the issuance of haulage permits.

Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, the union chairman, Malam Lawal Abdullahi, highlighted the harassment and extortion faced by delivery van drivers and others in FCT.

He revealed that two consultants, purportedly engaged by two separate FCT Administration agencies, are issuing haulage permits to drivers. One consultant, allegedly engaged by the Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signage, issues FCT/State Haulage Permits in the name of the FCTA Joint Tax Board. The other consultant, D.S Alade Global Ltd, issues Haulage and Goods Movement Permits allegedly from the FCTA Transportation Secretariat.

Abdullahi condemned this situation as double taxation by the FCT Administration and urged immediate action from Wike. He highlighted that drivers in Abuja are compelled to purchase dual permits, which can cost between N35,000 and N50,000, depending on the seller.

The conflicting legitimacy claims of the two agencies have left drivers confused about which permit is valid. Additionally, the consultants’ insistence on cash payments has raised suspicions about the ultimate destination of the funds.

These consultants, labelled as handling “Wike’s Document,” seem to lack legitimate ties with the FCT Administration but continue to exploit drivers for their earnings.

The chairman expressed concern that many unsuspecting drivers are falling victim to these illegal practices and emphasised the immediate need for the FCT minister’s intervention. He called for abolishing illegal permit payments and urged an investigation into those using Wike’s name to extort drivers.

Abdullahi also stressed the necessity for stakeholder engagement to address the issuance of haulage permits and for responsible agencies to educate drivers about their rights and provide avenues for seeking redress when extorted.

In response to these concerns, a senior official from the transportation secretariat acknowledged the engagement of a consultant to issue haulage permits to motorists and assured that the drivers’ issues would be investigated.