The Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) has raised alarm over what it described as widespread extortion and harassment of truck drivers operating along major port corridors in Lagos, warning that the situation is crippling logistics and supply chains linked to the nation’s busiest ports.
Titansloaded reports that the truckers’ body has formally petitioned President Bola Tinubu over the alleged failure of relevant authorities to curb the activities of street operatives, unions, and community groups accused of imposing multiple illegal levies on articulated trucks across the state.
In the petition dated January 13, 2026, COMTUA, led by its President, Comrade Yinka Aroyewun, alleged that truck drivers are subjected to daily intimidation, vandalism of vehicles, physical assaults, and, in extreme cases, loss of lives while conveying goods to and from Lagos ports.
The association accused the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) of forcing non-members to pay compulsory dues, while also alleging that the Lagos State Trucks and Cargo Committee (LASTCOC) imposes a so-called voluntary ticket on truck operators.
According to COMTUA, similar extortion activities are allegedly carried out by hoodlums operating under the guise of local government agents, particularly in Amuwo-Odofin, where truckers are reportedly forced to pay “road maintenance” fees before gaining passage.
The petition further claimed that at Eleko Junction in Ibeju-Lekki, truck drivers are allegedly compelled to pay about N6,000 per truck to a coalition of LASTCOC officials and community youth groups before accessing the corridor.
In Epe, COMTUA alleged that RTEAN operatives and community representatives collect an additional N5,000 daily from each truck, further increasing the cost of transporting goods within Lagos.
The association warned that persistent Lagos truck extortion is inflating logistics costs, discouraging investors, and undermining ongoing efforts to decongest the ports and improve ease of doing business.
COMTUA urged the Presidency to intervene decisively, dismantle illegal checkpoints, and ensure a unified, transparent framework for truck operations in Lagos to safeguard drivers and restore efficiency to port logistics.
