Chaos erupted at Berger Bus Stop on Sunday as levy collectors, notorious as Agberos, drastically hiked transport fares, stranding passengers traveling from Lagos to Ogun State.
According to The Punch, the Agberos informed incoming drivers from Lagos of the new fare prices, causing widespread disruption.
Passengers, including churchgoers and children, were left pleading with drivers to reduce the fares, which had skyrocketed to unprecedented levels.
Drivers were charging commuters traveling to Mowe a flat fare of up to N1000, regardless of their destination along the route.
This represented a staggering increase from the previous fares:
– Mowe: N1000 (up from N300)
– Arepo and Magboro: N1000 (up from N400)
– Ibafo: N1000 (up from N500)
The sudden hike, implemented around 3:00 pm on Sunday, left many travelers stranded and frustrated.
A passenger named Adewale, heading to Arepo, had refused to board a bus charging N700 to Mowe, but was left in shock when the fare was further raised to N1000.
However, he lamented that after the vehicle departed, subsequent buses were instructed by the agberos to start charging N1000 for the trip.
“I was here when they charged N700 for any stop on the way to Mowe and Ibafo. I didn’t board because I thought the agberos would instruct the drivers to lower the price once more buses arrived.
“But unfortunately, as more buses arrived, the agberos kept telling the drivers to raise the fare. I’m shocked. This is pure wickedness,” Adewale lamented.
Joshua, a worshipper, who returned from church, said that the agberos were the main cause of the fare hike and urged authorities to find a lasting solution to the problem.
He said, “These individuals were dictating the fares to the drivers to increase their earnings. As the fares go up, they collect more from the drivers, leaving the passengers to bear the burden.”
A lady under anonymity lamented the hours she had spent at the park because she couldn’t afford the increased fare.
“I didn’t budget for this when I left home this morning. I’ve been here for hours, and the drivers keep increasing the fares,” she lamented.
When asked (by The Punch) about the sudden fare hike at the bus stop, a driver who identified himself as Kazeem said he had filled his bus tank with fuel purchased from the black market.
“There’s no fuel available; the queues are too long. The fuel I’m using now was bought at black market prices. Do you expect us to charge the same rates?” Kazeem queried.
