Kogiflame
Kogi state government may probe Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) over extortions from motorists in the kogi State.
However, motorists have decried the heavy level of extortions by men and officers of the Vehicle Inspection Officers VIO.
Some of the car owners who spoke with our reporter said the activities of the officers especially in Lokoja the state capital is disturbing.
They alleged that they employed high level of fault finding techniques to ensure that their prey would definitely be deficient in their demand thereby paving way for the extortions.
The motorists alleged that the bribes collected by the officers seldom remitted to the state government coffers.
A motorists who prefer not to be mentioned alleged that some of the VIO officers in connivance with POS operators, who serves as their agents, often collect the bribes on behalf of the officers and delivered it at the close of work at drinking joints where the loots are shared by the officers and their superiors from the office.
Those who have had the harrowing experience decried their modus operandi of mounting check points at bad portions of the roads and adjoining streets ,so as to ensure that no motorists escape their arrest.
They added that on halting you down , the officers will jump on the bonnet and command you to come down from your car to meet a senior officer seating in their van for negotiations.
According to them if one is lucky to have enough cash on him to meet their demands you will be allowed to go with the vehicle but if you are not carrying enough cash to greese their palms , the junior officers would remove the two number plates on your vehicle and direct you to go to their office where another officer had been stationed to collect higher sum from you without receipt or official acknowledgment.
According to them, these officers have constituted themselves into a cabal threatening motorists who refused to bulge with stiffer fines which would not be remitted to the treasury.
“They are only using government uniforms to take bribes for themselves and their ogas.
While calling on the state government to take critical examination of the activities of the VIO and their alleged sister in crime, officers of the Kogi state Traffic and Roads Management Agency KOTRAMA by carry out special audit on their personal bank accounts and activities.
