Unregistered Vehicles Clampdown: Clearing Agents Raise Alarm As Police Take Advantage of IG’s Order, Extort Tokunbo Vehicles
Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu (right) and Dr Kayode Farinto
Clearing agents under the aegis of Kayfar Freight Forwarding Forum (KFF Forum) has written a distress letter to the Inspector General of Nigerian Police, Mr Tunji Disu, urging him to rethink his recent directive to all police police formations to impound any unregistered vehicles or those with obscured or covered number plates.
The Police IG’s directive was in response to outcry on the need to reduce the level of banditry, kidnapping or terrorism acts across Nigerian States.
However, the convener of the KFF Forum and former Acting President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Dr Kayode Farinto, has said that officers are now taking advantage of this directive to extort Tokunbo vehicles that have just been cleared from the ports.
In a Save-Our-Soul letter to the police boss titled; RE-DIRECTIVES TO POLICE PERSONEL TO STOP ALL UNREGISTERED VEHICLES: IT’ NOW AN AVENUE TO EXTORT TOKUNBO DRIVERS, Dr Farinto noted with concern that greedy officers have turned Tokunbo vehicles into cash cows.
“Sir, your recent directives to all the police formations to impound, confiscate any unregistered vehicles in order to reduce the level of bandit, kidnapping or terrorist act in our society is not only a good step in the right direction but will obviously reduce this menace.
“Furthermore sir, we shall be delighted that you give a clearer directive that, this does not include Tokunbo vehicles, which are imported vehicles being transferred to the owner’s houses and which many of your officers have turned to a cash cow by impounding and extorting our members.
“The recent events and reports reaching us stipulated that many police stations/formation, including Area ‘B’ police, which is less than fifty meters to the ports have turned this directive to making and demand for illegitimate money from our members.
“Lastly, we shall be delighted if this decision is urgently reviewed and a circular/signal is issued to forsake any breaking down of law and order.
“We believe in your leadership acumen hence this letter will be given its uttermost urgency” the letter read
