Residents in Amuwo-Odofin as well as Medical representatives and other workers who drive company-owned vehicles in Amuwo-Odofin have raised questions over repeated roadside collections allegedly being made by individuals presenting themselves as local government revenue collectors.
Some drivers, particularly those using company-registered vehicles, say they have been stopped at different points in Amuwo-Odofin and asked to make payments for what they were told were local government papers.
The complaints have come from motorists operating around Apple Junction, Durbar Road and the Alakija area of Amuwo-Odofin LGA where the individuals are reportedly stopping vehicles registered in company names and demanding payment for what they describe as local government papers.
According to the complainants, the amount demanded can be as high as ₦45,000, even where the vehicle is neither branded nor a truck.
One medical sales representative who contacted FestacOnline said the situation has become increasingly difficult for workers who need to move around the local government to supply medicines and attend to customers.
The complainants provided details of several incidents in which money was allegedly collected from medical representatives.
In one case, a representative driving a Toyota Corolla was reportedly stopped on Durbar Road on July 1, 2026, and paid ₦20,000 through a POS terminal.
Another incident was reported on July 6 around Alakija, where a medical representative allegedly paid another ₦20,000 through a POS after being stopped.
A further complaint involved an alleged payment of ₦35,000 on September 3
The complainants say they have transfer records and other evidence relating to some of the payments, as well as copies of the local government papers issued after payment.
They are questioning the basis for the charges and, in particular, why payments are allegedly being made through POS terminals rather than through an official local government payment channel.
They also want clarification on whether company-owned vehicles are required to pay the reported ₦45,000 charge simply because the vehicles are registered in a company name.
According to the complainants, the individuals involved are regularly seen wearing blue shirts around the Alakija Festac area and on Durbar Road, including around the approach to the Durbar Estate area.
One complainant told FestacOnline that the matter had previously been raised with the Lagos State Government Law Reform Commission. According to the complainant, the commission indicated that the issue would be brought to the attention of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development for engagement with the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government.
The complainants said they have not received any feedback on the matter.
Beyond the financial demands, the medical representatives say they are concerned about being stopped repeatedly while carrying out essential work involving pharmaceutical products.
The reports also raise a broader question for the local government: who are the individuals stopping these vehicles, what exactly are they collecting, and under what approved revenue or regulatory arrangement?
FestacOnline is seeking clarification from the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government on whether the reported charge is an approved levy, the vehicles or businesses liable to pay it, the official payment procedure, and whether the individuals making the roadside collections have been authorised to do so.
The local government’s response will be published as part of this report.
FestacOnline has not independently established that the reported payments constitute extortion, nor has it established that the individuals involved were acting on the direct instruction of the local government chairman.
However, the existence of payment records and multiple complaints makes the matter one that warrants clarification, particularly where roadside collections involving significant sums are concerned.
Until the relevant authorities provide clarification, motorists and businesses encountering such demands should request documentation identifying the levy, the authority under which it is being collected and an official receipt for any payment made.