Truck drivers traveling between Adamawa and Cross River States are voicing frustration over widespread extortion by security officials, including personnel from the Nigerian Army and the police.
In a video circulating on TikTok, several drivers described paying an overwhelming N700,000 in bribes at checkpoints along the route. According to them, Nigerian Army personnel demand N3,000 per truck at each checkpoint, while police officers require N2,000.
“From Adamawa to Calabar, we can end up paying about N700,000 in bribes before reaching our destination. For agricultural produce, it costs around N300,000,” one driver shared. “Checkpoints are numerous, especially around Port Harcourt, Kogi, and Benue. At each army checkpoint, the fee is now N3,000 per truck—previously, it was N2,000. Police checkpoints demand N2,000 per truck.”
The drivers went on to explain that these bribes vary for different goods: “For produce, they charge N50,000, N30,000, or N20,000 depending on the location. It’s challenging for us with this level of extortion,” one of them stated.
These truck drivers, many of whom transport food from northern to southern Nigeria, believe this extensive bribery is a significant factor driving inflation. “We’re forced to adjust our prices because we need to make a profit, and this extra expense is added to the goods we transport,” another driver explained.
The issue of extortion isn’t limited to inter-state highways. In Lagos, truck logistics operators around the seaports reported in 2023 that they collectively spend about N40 million daily on bribes and unofficial taxes. The Council for Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) confirmed that these fees are often collected by both official and unofficial actors.
A COMTUA official provided a breakdown, revealing that drivers pay N3,000 at the Tin-Can First Gate roundabout, with an additional N2,000 “waybill fee” allegedly collected on behalf of the Apapa Local Government Area—an allegation the council has denied. Further inside the port, drivers reportedly pay N5,000 to certain Nigeria Customs Service operatives, with an extra N1,000 required at the Customs exit gate.
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