Kogi Flood: Police extort boat owners, NIWA charges N15,000 to ferry vehicles

Vehicles ferried across….

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) is charging motorists up to N15,000 to ferry their vehicles across the flooded part of Lokoja-Abuja express way. A witness who crossed from Lokoja to Abuja yesterday said NIWA boat charges N15,000 while private boats charge N10,000 to ferry a single vehicle.

The witness told Sunday Trust, “NIWA boat is the biggest and they are collecting N15,000 to take a single car across. Private boats charge N10,000.”

He also said marine policemen on patrol at the flooded road are making brisk “business” from private boat operators

OMG.........Okene Road

“I would have shown you pictures of policemen extorting private boat operators. No boat operator can escape them because they use speed boats. Every boat operator must settle the police before they are allowed to cross with their passengers,” he said.

The eye-witness also said contrary to claims by the federal government, the Abuja-Lokoja road is still not motorable. He said “the road has not been opened because travellers still rely on ferries to cross it”

Each passenger pays between N500 and N1,000 to be ferried across to continue with their journey.