COVID-19 Interstate Lockdown: Security Men Turn Borders Closure To Money Making Ventures

ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA

In spite of the Ogun State government directives on closure of borders across the state, security men have capitalised on this order to turn motorists plying interstate to money making ventures.

This development has not augured well with the transporters and other motorists who were bent on traveling out of the state for one reasons or the other.

Interstate transporters plying Ibadan, Osogbo and other parts of the country from Asero motor park, Adatan motor park and Kuto while speaking on the increase in transport fares relayed that the cost of settling security men along the road was exorbitant.

They added that such security checkpoints were more than usual due to the interstate lockdown order by almost all the state governments to stop the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

However, Daily Dispatch visits to border post along Ibadan-Abeokuta road to assess the movement of vehicles and people in and out of the state witnessed the way and manner security operatives relied on extorting money from motorists to ease their movement without any hitch.

The movement from Oshiele axis in Ogun to Omi Adio in Oyo State revealed that at every security post manned by security operatives of not less than four attested to the rate at which money is being paid at all these points before they could pass.

Such posts visited unknowingly to the security men were at Odeda area, Kila axis, Olodo area and at Bakatari-Ilupeju axis which share boundary with Oyo State, while security post very close to the Eniafe block industry and railway overhead near Omi Adio were not left out of the ventures.

Meanwhile, this action by those who were commissioned to stop the movement of people from one state to another will continue as long as motorists are ready to part with money to travel unhindered.