When a Zombie Apocalypse breaks out, those who created it are often not able to control it until it spurns completely out of control. This is the reality of the Nigerian agbero system.
Recently, an Asian tourist touring the beautiful, bustling city of Lagos was harassed by a group of men who identified themselves as ‘citizens’ and went on to demand money. Although the foreigner had stood his ground, we cannot ignore the implications this has on our national image, with him ending the video with ‘Do not visit Nigeria.’
We cannot pretend this is the first time this is happening. The Agbero system has increasingly become a menace, especially in Lagos. This entitlement started with good Nigerians ‘showing love’ to people on the street. Slowly, it metamorphosed into becoming institutionalised.
Over the decades, some political figures have leveraged these agberos into the means of achieving their selfish desires. Out-of-school children grew into jobless youths, who became non-state actors used to fulfil ‘government’ desires. Youths became tools for political figures for votes or for attacking their opponents.
With a brazen confidence that can only be powered by something from above, these agberos extort commercial drivers and private motorists, demanding levies with impunity and intimidating their victims, oftentimes leading to violence.
They harass everybody, including social workers, social media influencers, celebrities, among others. Many in these fields have recounted instances of harassment, extortion, and severe intimidation by these agberos. Outdoor shoots are becoming nearly impossible in Lagos, and entertainment content producers are resorting to shortcuts to achieve near-level excellence that will keep investors in.
Recently, a video went viral of agberos attacking VeryDarkMan’s RATEL and its members while they were cleaning a community in Lagos. RATEL’s community service was halted because they did not give the agberos more money. Imagine demanding money before people can clean their communities.
Like the zombie apocalypse concept, where people are denied movement, ordinary citizens, workers, and business owners increasingly feel like prisoners in their own communities and towns.
An average Lagos resident cannot walk freely on the Third Mainland Bridge without feeling anxious and frightened for their safety. Simple everyday actions like parking your car or fixing it when it breaks down in some parts of the city require negotiating with or paying off these agberos to avoid physical harm, robbery, or even destruction of property.
Most of the time, we have seen them come out in their numbers when they spot celebrities’ cars. They would climb on the cars and cling onto them in some cases and create a blockade, while demanding money, despite the presence of armed security personnel.
This is what happens when greed is given an occupation and extortion is institutionalised. Whether in daytime or at night, agberos continue to pose a threat to people and properties, without contributing anything meaningful to society.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State, Tokunbo Wahab, in his reply to an X post showing footage of hooliganism of agberos, had said, ‘…while we fully acknowledge that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the safety, security, and orderliness of our streets, we must also recognise the role that individual actions play in sustaining these challenges.
‘We therefore urge everyone to desist from activities that may inadvertently encourage lawlessness, insecurity, street begging, and environmental nuisance on our roads…’
But is it really the fault of the citizens? Yes, we cannot deny that Nigerians showing love to street touts has bred the sense of entitlement that now makes them see people as an ATM machine. We cannot overlook what led to the institutionalisation of this system.
The agbero menace in Lagos can only be stopped by the ones who created it. When will the government break its echoing silence and do something drastic about this lingering problem?