Lagos Bus Drivers Strike as Alleged Extortion Leaves Commuters Stranded

Lagos bus drivers’ strike has thrown parts of the mainland into fresh transport wahala, with commuters along the Iyana-Ipaja/Iyana-Iba axis reportedly left stranded after commercial bus operators withdrew their services over allegations of persistent extortion. The drivers say the alleged financial demands from enforcement officials and transport-related groups have become increasingly unbearable, but the bigger question now be whether authorities go address the allegations before the dispute spreads into another major transport crisis. �

Drivers Park Buses as Alleged Extortion Sparks Fresh Gbege

The immediate issue behind the bus drivers’ strike is the allegation that commercial drivers are being subjected to repeated monetary demands while carrying out their daily operations. Drivers reportedly pointed fingers at LASTMA, the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, popularly called agbero. Some drivers also alleged that LASTMA officials sometimes impound their vehicles over traffic offences and keep them for extended periods, leaving both owners and drivers with significant financial losses.

The drivers say the alleged extortion has reached a point where making enough money to cover operating costs and daily obligations is becoming difficult. Their decision to withdraw services was therefore presented as a way of forcing attention on their grievances. For commuters, however, the protest has created its own problem, with passengers along the affected corridor struggling to find alternative transportation. In Lagos, where danfo remains an important part of everyday mobility, one group’s industrial action can quickly become everybody’s headache.

Old Transport Wahala Raises Fresh Questions

The latest alleged extortion dispute is not happening in isolation. Lagos has experienced similar commercial-driver protests in previous years, including a major November 2023 action during which drivers complained about alleged arbitrary arrests and extortion involving traffic enforcement authorities. That protest affected several areas, including Egbeda, Ikeja, Iyana-Ipaja, Agege, Yaba and Iyana-Iba, while police intervention reportedly involved tear gas. At the time, Lagos authorities maintained that enforcement of the state’s transport-sector reform law would continue and urged operators to obey traffic regulations.

There is also more recent evidence that allegations involving LASTMA officials have been taken seriously enough to trigger investigations. In April 2026, LASTMA said it investigated a claim that officers demanded ₦100,000 from commercial bus drivers along the Coastal Road. The agency initially announced a comprehensive investigation, while a subsequent statement said the investigation found that the affected drivers had been penalised for traffic violations and that the fines had been paid into designated government accounts. That episode does not establish the truth or otherwise of the fresh September allegations, but it shows why transparent investigation and documented enforcement procedures remain important whenever accusations of extortion emerge.

For now, the bus drivers’ strike has turned what is fundamentally a dispute over transport operations and alleged enforcement misconduct into a public inconvenience. The allegations against the police, LASTMA, FRSC and NURTW members remain allegations and should not be treated as established wrongdoing without evidence or findings from the appropriate authorities. At the same time, repeated complaints from commercial operators deserve a clear and credible response, because unresolved disputes can keep returning in different forms.

The immediate priority should be restoring safe and affordable transportation while authorities properly examine the claims raised by the drivers. If any official is found to have demanded illegal payments, accountability would be necessary; if the allegations are unsubstantiated, authorities should provide evidence that explains the enforcement actions. OGM News Pidgin will continue to monitor the bus drivers’ strike and the wider Lagos transport wahala as new developments emerge.