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| VIO Officers on patrol and a LASTMA officer |
This morning, Lagosians woke up to the news that VIO (Vehicle Inspection Officer) has finally been banned by the Governor. To a lot of motorist, this was a very pleasing news and the best thing to get their day started, including me.
If you never had an encounter with VIO while they were in active service in lagos State, I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart, for those of us who did have an encounter, I bet we all have the same horrible story to tell.
My encounter with VIO was not a pleasant one at all, I was stopped at 8.30am on a Monday morning, already late to work,an extra delay wasn't what I hoped for, coupled with the fact that it was my first day after a long maternity leave, so I had no reason to show up late at work, I mean, 3 months plus away from work, the best I could do my employer was to resume early with so much enthusiasm for my job, but hell no! the dreaded VIO ensured that the day ended abysmally.
So they flagged my car that fateful morning, there were four of them, and the most senior one asked to see my driver's license, vehicle registration documents, fire extinguisher, C- Caution Sign and some other things I can't remember right now. Trust me I have been stopped by Federal Government Officials, that is the Nigerian Police Force(NPF), and The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), on countless occasion and none ever took more than 10mins of my time nor did they ask me for ridiculous things like the VIO did.
Out of everything they asked for, unfortunately for me I had a recently expired Road Worthiness Certificate, no c-caution, no road worthiness certificate. Thinking I was dealing with NPF or FRSC, I never knew I was in for it, and that moment marked the beginning of the end of my day. I heard the Head Marshal on patrol signaling one of his boys to collect my key and drive the car to their office, excuse me Mr VIO, it is my car and I will drive it myself, please what is my offence that you are taking my car away, there was no response at all from this man or his boys, I had no choice than to get into the car, this time seated in the passenger side in my own car.
Driving my car was this young officer, and I was so inquisitive to know what exactly is happening and where he was taking me to, the guy responded casually saying it wasn't a big deal, I would only need to go pay a fine in their office and my car would be released. I mean why in the world do they need to impound my car? A ticket would have sufficed in this case, at least that's what is done in other countries, nobody takes away your time for simple things.
We got to their ram shackle office in Randle Area of Surulere, the VIO officer parked my car in their small choked up compound where other cars were impounded, and the madness began the minute I stepped into their office. Now the officer I met in the office had been intimated by the officers on patrol even before we arrived and my fine had been written, I was told to go pay N20,000, I said can you come again, all the offence you counted down sef, the total money for renewing road worthiness and fire extinguisher plus C-Caution is not up to N10,000, plus you are not even asking me or offering the opportunity to correct my wrong first, you are just slamming me with a ridiculous fine.
My people, I was on my own, no one listened to me that day, By this time I was ready to pay and leave, I was given another shocker, you have to go to our other office at Iponri to go and pay, ehn, did I hear you well, I was dazed, I had to use public transport cause they wouldn't release my car without payment. At their Iponri Office, I was told to go pay at the bank, Got to the bank and the Cashier asked for my Tax Number before I could pay, infact you don't want to hear this story , I will leave the Tax Number story for another day. Long story short by 2pm that day I sorted out the tax number and was able to pay the fine of N20,000 into VIO's Wema Bank Account.
I went back to Iponri office, got a clearance for my car to be released , took it back to Randle Office, then my car was finally released at 3.30pm.
That day I ended up not showing up at work, I left the VIO office completely drained and traumatized ,with an extremely engorged and leaking breast as it was my first day without my baby, I had migraine for days after that experience. I mean no one should be subjected to such terrible experience again.
Till date, my heart leaps when I see a VIO Vehicle even when I know that I have complete documents, I consciously make sure that I don't pass some areas in Surulere between 8.30am -10.30am in the morning.
Today I ask myself for all the people's time they wasted, VIO what have you gained, again for all the penalties paid into your account, What impact did you make in Lagos State? Show me one road or bridge renovated with VIO Fine? NONE!
I'm so relieved right now, that the era of VIO is gone and over for ever and Lagosians can breathe freely now. Im also grateful to the Governor for clipping the wings of LASTMA, they were also a menace at one point in Lagos State.
We are convinced that FRSC will continue to deliver their duties better than VIO, and as such do not need any assistance from a state version.
Do you have your own VIO victory story? Go ahead and share with us.
This is the right blog for anyone who hopes to find
ReplyDeleteout about this topic. You realize a whole lot its almost hard to
argue with you (not that I actually would want to…HaHa).
You definitely put a brand new spin on a topic that's been written about for decades.
Great stuff, just excellent!