In a crackdown on corruption plaguing the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, four ticketers employed by Lagos Bus Services Limited (LaBSL) have been sentenced to prison terms for systematically collecting unauthorized cash payments and demanding fictitious “taxes” from unsuspecting passengers.
The convicts – identified as Chinedu Okoro (32), Aisha Musa (28), Tunde Adebayo (35), and Fatima Bello (29) – were arrested last month following a sting operation launched by the Lagos State Park and Garage Administration (LASG-PAGA) in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The operation targeted high-traffic BRT corridors along the Ikorodu Road and Berger routes, where commuters had lodged repeated complaints about extortionate practices undermining the system’s cashless policy.
According to court documents reviewed by The Lagos Herald, the group exploited their positions as onboard ticketers to bypass electronic card readers, instead pocketing an estimated ₦2.5 million ($1,500) in illicit cash over six months. Passengers were coerced into paying inflated fares in naira notes, with the ticketers fabricating additional “security taxes” or “maintenance levies” ranging from ₦200 to ₦500 per rider. In one documented incident, an elderly commuter was allegedly threatened with ejection from the bus at a remote stop for refusing to pay an extra ₦300 “congestion fee.”
Magistrate Adekunle Ojo of the Ikeja Special Offences Court handed down the sentences yesterday after a two-week trial. Each defendant received a two-year jail term without the option of a fine, along with orders to repay the extorted sums to affected passengers via a state-managed restitution fund. “This is not mere pilfering; it is a betrayal of public trust that erodes the very foundation of our mass transit system,” Ojo declared during the proceedings. “The BRT was designed to be efficient and equitable – not a playground for thieves in uniform.”
LASG-PAGA Commissioner Moruf Olowo stressed that the arrests stem from a broader audit revealing systemic fare evasion by rogue staff. “We’ve identified over 15 similar cases under investigation,” Olowo told reporters outside the courthouse. “The BRT’s Cowry card system is mandatory for a reason: to ensure transparency and prevent exactly this kind of graft. Commuters deserve protection from these parasites who turn a lifeline into a liability.”
The scandal has reignited debates over fare enforcement in Nigeria’s bustling megacity, where the BRT network serves over 200,000 daily riders amid chronic traffic woes.
Advocacy group Transport Equity Watch hailed the verdict as a “long-overdue victory,” but warned that underpaid staff and lax oversight continue to fuel such abuses. “Jailing four is a start, but we need body cams on ticketers and real-time digital audits,” said group coordinator Ngozi Eze.LaBSL, which operates the BRT fleet under a state concession, issued a statement disavowing the convicts and pledging enhanced training. “We are cooperating fully with authorities and have suspended 12 additional employees pending probes,” the company said. “Passenger safety and satisfaction remain our top priority.”
As Lagos grapples with expanding its public transport infrastructure – including plans for a new blue line extension – this case serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of corruption. Commuters like market trader Amaka Nwosu, who testified in court about losing ₦1,000 weekly to the scheme, are cautiously optimistic.
“Finally, someone listened,” she said. “But until every ticketer scans a card, not a wallet, I’ll keep my eyes wide open.”The EFCC has urged the public to report suspicious activities via its hotline, emphasizing that anonymous tips have been key to dismantling these rackets. With sentencing complete, the focus now shifts to restitution and reform – lest Lagos’s roads become synonymous with more than just gridlock.
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