Posted by By Yemi Akinsuyi on
Barely three weeks to the evacuation of the social miscreants, otherwise known as Area Boys from Lagos roads by Soldiers, they have gradually returned to their illegal abode of business.
Barely three weeks to the evacuation of the social miscreants, otherwise known as Area Boys from Lagos roads by Soldiers, they have gradually returned to their illegal abode of business.
The hoodlums were sent out of the roads and Bus Stops last months by the Army, due to the way and manner they manhandled and eventually killed a Soldier at Oshodi area of Lagos.
In a reprisal attack on the social miscreants, Nigerian Army had taken to the roads and arrested over 126, detained, and later released them to the police authority in the state.
THISDAY checks revealed that unlike the way they openly and forcefully demanded and got money from members of the public, mostly commercial drivers, they have decided to do this their unwholesome business under cover and with great care.
At the Onipaanu Bus Stop, along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, handful of them were seeing stretching their hands to bus conductors plying the route for a fee.
When THISDAY spoke with one of the bus conductors, he said he had to give them the money based on the fact that rather than forcefully collecting money from them, they now do it in a more civilised way.
"Can't you see that area boys collect money from us with respect and dignity. Left for me alone, I can continue to give them so long they do so with respect and dignity. They now look hungry and tired. I pity their condition", Hammed, as he simply gave his name, stated.
The story was about the same with those hanging out at Iyana-Ipaja Bus Stop. They look sympathetic and they were very cautious in their inglorious demand for money.
Asked one of them why he could not get a better and respectable job, rather than begging for a stikpet from these bus conductors, the pale looking young man, who equally gave his name as Hammed disclosed that he could not get another job because of his educational level.
"For now, I cannot do any other work apart from this. I did not finish Secondary School. I dropped out when I was in JSS 2, and for now, I don't think I can go back to Secondary School at this age.
"If I can get some money, I think I would rather prefer going into petty trade and by the grace of God, I know I will be better off in that field. But for now, I have to do this job, whether it is dirty or not".
He disclosed that he, like other social miscreants, have big bosses, who get their own share of the money they make each day. He also confirmed that the big bosses in turn, protect them against danger or any form of molestation.
Neither the Army spokesperson in Lagos, Colonel Abayomi Dabiri, nor Police Public Relations Officer, Olubode Ojajuni could be contacted as at the time of going to press on the resurgence of the area boys in Lagos.