Corruption: Watch How Nigerian Police Extort Money from Motorists

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In Nigeria motorists, commuters and other road users frequently encounter unnecessary delays while moving from place to place. Contrary to government directives, the police mount several road blocks, not far from each other, in the guise of checking vehicle particulars. A policeman is caught here, in camera, trying to extort money from a minibus driver. While most of the passengers feel uncomfortable with their delayed movement some could not help laughing at the policeman's wanton act of corruption. Conversation is made here in local Pidgin English. Question by the uniformed man: "wetin you want pay", means "how much are you willing to pay?” Sometimes a motorist is falsely accused of driving a vehicle that is not road-worthy, such as having a non-functional break system, especially if stopping is not done in time to pay the 'police toll'. Of course, with this the toll is made higher. Often, buses and taxis that have paid 'toll money' in any day have their vehicle numbers registered at each police check point.

The scenes are located in the troubled Niger Delta which produces Nigeria's mineral oil that forms a greater part of her annual revenue. As a result of epileptic power supply from gas turbines, some urban roads and streets are now benefiting from the new technology of illuminating the night with electricity from solar panels.

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