Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Jevaun Rhashan
Motorists, commercial drivers and transport operators in Anambra State have intensified complaints about persistent extortion, harassment and intimidation by groups of individuals—commonly referred to locally as touts or illegal revenue collectors—along major arterial routes such as the Enugu–Onitsha federal highway, including around busy commuter points such as Unizik Junction in Awka. The grievances reflect long-standing tensions between road users and informal agents who assert unofficial authority to levy money in exchange for passage or loading passengers.
According to motorists and drivers, many of these collectors operate at strategic locations where commuter traffic is high, stopping commercial vehicles after picking up passengers and demanding payment of unregulated fees. Some drivers say they are compelled to hand over part of the passenger fare collected, while others allege direct extortion of cash before being allowed to continue their journey. Commuters have described the practice as predatory, noting that it effectively increases transport costs for travellers and disrupts legitimate commercial activity. Several have expressed frustration that these collectors sometimes appear to act with impunity, claiming that officials or authorities are aware of their activities.
Operators within the transport community have pointed to a history of similar complaints that date back several years, with multiple reports indicating that extortion, intimidation and “touting” practices have affected taxi, bus, keke (tricycle) and larger commercial truck drivers across Anambra towns including Onitsha, Awka and surrounding highways. These practices include informal daily levies, purported ticket collections, and arbitrary demands for payments under the guise of compliance or security checks. Some motorists have reported paying amounts far exceeding official levies, and described situations where vehicles were damaged, keys taken or drivers forced into isolated locations before being released.
In response to such pressures, the state government previously established the Anambra Special Anti-Touting Squad (SASA), sometimes referred to as an anti-touting task force, with a stated mandate to eliminate illegal extortion, curb street harassment and enforce public order across major roads and urban centres. Government sources and some transport stakeholders have asserted that the task force has had success in reducing incidents in key areas, including parts of the capital city where touting had been especially problematic. Supporters of SASA claim visible improvements in certain traffic corridors and public spaces where unlawful revenue collectors were previously active.
Nevertheless, civil society groups, independent drivers’ unions and affected commuters insist the issue has not been fully resolved. They say extortion practices still occur, particularly in areas outside peak enforcement zones or where multiple informal waterways of revenue collection exist. These groups have called on authorities to scale up enforcement, introduce stronger accountability measures for purported enforcers, and create clearer, regulated revenue systems that eliminate “rogue” intermediaries.
The governor’s office and official spokesman have publicly denied that government agencies are directly complicit in illegal collections and have emphasised that any legitimate revenue must be collected through authorised channels, often using documented electronic payment systems to ensure transparency. State officials have also urged motorists and commuters to report verified cases of extortion or harassment for prompt investigation.
There have been occasional controversies and public criticisms about the methods of enforcement teams such as SASA and similar task forces. Previous reports indicate that the state government ordered investigations into alleged brutality by anti-touting personnel, reflecting broader concerns about the conduct of enforcement operations and the potential for misuse of authority. Government statements emphasised the need for adherence to human rights standards and responsible enforcement even while combating illegal activities.
In the transport sector itself, secondary complaints have emerged from segments of the commercial driver community, such as tricycle (“keke”) operators, who report daily levies and intimidation from individuals claiming to represent various park chiefs, local unions, or revenue entities. These operators say that the proliferation of informal payment points has reduced their daily earnings significantly and contributed to an unstable operating environment.
For residents and road users along the Awka and Onitsha corridors, the continued presence of informal revenue collectors and intermittent confrontations have underscored wider governance questions about regulatory oversight, the effectiveness of task forces, and the boundaries between lawful enforcement and unlawful extortion. Stakeholders have called for enhanced coordination among state revenue agencies, law enforcement, transport unions, and civil society to establish regulated, transparent systems that protect motorists and commuters from harassment while preserving order on key transport routes.
At the same time, differing narratives persist: some drivers and residents credit organised task force operations with restoring order at certain hot spots, while others maintain that illegal revenue activities have simply shifted to less monitored locations. The transport landscape, as described by both critics and supporters of enforcement authorities, remains fluid, and public confidence hinges on visible, sustained government action that balances enforcement, accountability, and protection of citizens’ rights.
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