The violent assault of a female commercial driver in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, by an alleged street tax collector, commonly known as an ‘Agbero’, underscores the urgent need to address the safety and protection of women working in Nigeria’s transport sector.
Development Diaries reports that in a viral video, a female commercial driver was seen being assaulted by an ‘Agbero’, while she was trying to prevent the theft of her car battery.
𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐬 𝐔𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧
A female commercial driver has cried out for justice after she was assaulted and beaten by an Agbero, while trying to prevent the… pic.twitter.com/FsHAtwSzxp
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) April 9, 2025
In the video, she was heard saying, ‘This man must be brought to justice. Let him be an example. I won’t leave him until I get justice. I’m doing a daily job just to survive. Is being a female commercial driver in Lagos a crime’?
She also called on the Lagos State government, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and human rights organisations to intervene and ensure her attacker is prosecuted.
This horrifying incident is not just a stark reflection of the vulnerability of female drivers on Lagos roads but also a broader indication of how poorly regulated street-level actors like Agberos continue to operate with impunity.
It is unacceptable that a woman, going about her legitimate business, would be brutally attacked in broad daylight.
Her pleas for help and justice must not go unheard. The question must now be asked: are female commercial drivers truly protected in Lagos?
Now, this is where the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) (VAPP) Act comes into play. What actions should be taken in relation to this act?
The VAPP Act criminalises acts of physical and psychological abuse and mandates the state to protect victims and prosecute offenders. If Lagos truly values the safety of its women, this case must not be swept under the carpet.
The NURTW, under whose jurisdiction many of these Agberos operate, cannot wash its hands off this matter. The victim’s testimony clearly indicates that despite fulfilling her financial obligations to the union, she received no protection or support.
The NURTW needs to be held accountable for the actions of its members and affiliated agents. A comprehensive audit of its operations, particularly how it monitors its field officers and tax collectors, is overdue.
Development Diaries calls on the Lagos State government to launch a swift and transparent investigation into this matter, in line with the provisions of the VAPP Act, which the state has domesticated.
We also call on the NURTW to identify, arrest, and prosecute to the full extent of the law the individual responsible for this attack. The body must also introduce mechanisms to address abuse and violence against its members, especially female drivers who are increasingly becoming targets of gender-based attacks.
In addition, a clear policy on the regulation of Agberos in Lagos State must be urgently developed, as their continued extortion and violence pose a grave threat to the safety of both drivers and passengers.
