Assault or Revenue Generation?

My palm hosts my lower jaw after some minutes of astonishment by an atrocious event my sight witnessed. I have observed similar cases for years; a cesspool of oppression, lawlessness cum battering. It has always been a sea of fights.

The incessant show of lawlessness by Associations of road workers has become a square shouldered monster. This set of people delight in causing problems on our roads as a disguise of generating revenue for the government. Did the government really send them to get tax violently from their people?

I cannot forget too soon how during my stay in the great city of Ibadan the so called Taskforce of a particular commercial transport Association vandalized commercial vehicles under the shadow of the wings of refusal to pay for their tickets or not pulling up when ordered to do so by those people. I saw many wing mirrors and tail lights used as floor coverings after being harvested by these people. I do not know how lawful that was but I am sure those acts are violent and irresponsible. Just few days ago, I was starring series of such events in the face at different places and times. Motorcycle riders and passengers were almost pulled down, even the Taskforce members ran into vehicles in motion innumerable times, almost causing accidents. On another occasion, some men jumped out of nowhere having no form of Identification and holding planks decorated with nails. They dropped the planks close to the tyres of passing vehicles just to stop them. - At a period like this when abduction is in vogue!

It was very conspicuous that many of them take norcotics before resuming their works. It is very important that the people involved in this should be given proper orientation on doing their job without marching on the rights of others, and saving lives both of the road users and theirs. Their violent approach makes them in no way different from trouble manufacturers. They cause chaos rather than do the work reasonably without causing harms. What they do is termed harassment rather than tax collection. Better guidelines and trainings should be given those people so they can do their work with a very good approach, lacking assault and violence. In addition, watchmen should be set over them to check how the work is being done just to curb their excesses. Doing these will make both parties happy and safe.

Babatunde FOLASAYO