Officials of Anambra State Road Traffic Management Agency.
Peter Utebor
Passengers traveling from Akwa Ibom to Delta State on Thursday 4th September 2025, were delayed for more about three hours on the 2nd Niger Bridge by officials of the Anambra State Road Traffic Management Agency (ATMA).
The passengers were traveling in a 14-seater bus belonging to Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) when the bus broke down on the 2nd Niger Bridge around Obosi.
When ATMA officials arrived the spot, they removed the car battery and took it away and demanded ₦60,000 from the driver.
The bus passengers told our correspondent that officials of ATMA swooped on their bus which broke down midway on the bridge.
One of them explained that the bus driver had just stepped down to check why the engine suddenly ceased when ATMA officials accosted and started harassing him.
“They removed the car battery and said the driver must pay them ₦60,000 before he can get back the battery for us to continue the trip. The incident left us stranded for more than three hours”, the passenger said.
Another passenger added that “one of the officials identified as ‘Joy’ insisted that our driver must pay the ₦60,000 to the Anambra State government”.
“Our driver was harassed for hours until the head of the traffic team arrived. After listening to the driver, he ordered the release of the bus, confirming that no traffic law was violated”, he added.
The bus driver, Mr. Mbuotidem Usanga, said the officials were not interested in listening to him explain why his vehicle stopped midway on the bridge.
“My bus breakdown suddenly. When I came down to find out what went wrong, ATMA officials surrounded the car and asked why I stopped the vehicle. Before I finished explaining to them that the car stopped suddenly, they had removed my car battery and demanded that I should pay ₦60,000.”
Usanga said the car’s fan belt snapped and caused overheating.
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The driver told our correspondent that the incident delayed his efforts to fix the car and left his passengers stranded on the road.
Meanwhile, the Management of Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) has frowned at the incident and what it called consistent and targeted harassment of her drivers and vehicles by officials of Anambra State Road Traffic Management Agency.
“This is harassment, pure and simple. Sometimes our drivers are forced to part with ₦25,000, sometimes more. It happens almost every week, usually around the head bridge.”
“Our passengers are delayed, our operations disrupted. This is damaging to our business, and the Anambra State government must stop it”, Mr. Uduak B., Manager of AKTC said.
Transport operators said the trend of harassment of commuters by ATMA officials could trigger retaliation from other States.
One of the transport operators who spoke about the trend of harassment of drivers by ATMA officials said, “if Anambra State officials keep treating Akwa Ibom and other transport companies this way, what happens when other States start targeting Anambra-owned vehicles? They won’t like it”.
The transport operator who did not want his name on print said ARTMA is notorious for extortion of drivers passing through the State.
