Delivery van drivers in Abuja have called on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, to address what they described as corrupt practices by some FCT officials issuing conflicting permits and imposing double charges.

At a press conference over the weekend, Comrade Lawal Abdullahi, Chairman of the FCT Delivery Van Drivers Association, revealed that two conflicting permits are being sold by different departments under the FCT Administration (FCTA).

Abdullahi revealed that the Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signage (DOAS) and the FCT Transportation Secretariat are each selling separate permits—the State Permit and the Haulage Permit—through different consultants.

“This situation has become untenable and requires the immediate intervention of the Honourable Minister because unsuspecting members of the public are falling prey to these illegalities,” Abdullahi said.

He explained that drivers are currently forced to purchase both permits, costing between N35,000 and N50,000, depending on the seller. The two departments do not recognize each other’s permits, creating confusion and leaving drivers unsure which permit is valid.

“Legal opinions have confirmed that there is no legal or constitutional basis for these payments being demanded by illegal consultants engaged by both the FCT Transportation Secretariat and DOAS,” Abdullahi added.

He noted that these consultants are not authorised revenue collection agencies and often insist on cash payments, raising concerns about the destination of the funds.

“Furthermore, the consultants collecting the fees-tagged ‘Wike’s Documents’ do not appear to have any legitimate ties to the FCT Administration, yet they continue to swindle Abuja drivers of their hard-earned income.

“To add to the frustration, when taxpayers request to make payments into a government account, the consultants insist on collecting cash, thereby fueling suspicions on actual destination of the money,” he added.

The drivers also expressed frustration over the financial strain caused by these practices, exacerbating their economic struggles.

“We are calling on the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, to take immediate action by abolishing these permit payments,” Abdullahi urged. “They have no constitutional backing, and the stoppage would alleviate the financial stress on drivers and restore order on Abuja roads.”

The drivers are demanding that Wike investigate and hold accountable those using his name to extort money from Abuja drivers, prosecute the perpetrators, and refund the collected money to government coffers.

They also recommend engaging with transport unions and stakeholders to address the challenges and prevent exploitation.

“We want the honourable minister to investigate and bring to book those using his name to extort money illegally from Abuja drivers.

“Also such extortion and those behind it should be prosecuted while refunds should be made to the government coffers.

“We recommend that the relevant departments engage with transport unions and key stakeholders to better understand their challenges and work together to find fair and practical solutions.

“Public Awareness Campaign is essential to educate drivers about their rights and responsibilities to help prevent them from falling victims to illegal payments and exploitation by unscrupulous officials”, the drivers demanded.