Drivers in Anambra Say ARTMA Officials Are Harassing Them with High Fines

Motorists using the busy Onitsha-Owerri Road in Anambra State are complaining about constant harassment and high fines from officials of the Anambra State Road Traffic Management Agency (ARTMA). They say this is especially happening at the bad spots near the People’s Club Bus Stop.

Some drivers shared their experiences with our reporter on Saturday. They claimed that ARTMA officials are taking advantage of the poor road conditions to extort money. They reported fines ranging from ₦150,000 to ₦300,000 for private cars, taxis, and commercial bus drivers traveling to the Upper Iweka area.

The drivers expressed their frustration about the dangerous potholes on the road, especially near the People’s Club Bus Stop. These potholes force them to drive in the opposite lane. This leads to heavy fines and alleged extortion from traffic officials, which they called a "double tragedy."

Our reporter visited the location and saw that many motorists coming from the Obosi end of the Onitsha-Owerri Road had to divert near the People’s Club. They switched to the opposite lane just to continue their journey safely.

It was clear that many drivers towards Upper Iweka had to make this diversion to avoid the deep potholes. These potholes have made driving almost impossible in that area.

Most drivers who spoke to us did so anonymously for fear of being targeted by the officers. They said traffic officials often hide at a corner of the road near the bad spots during busy hours. They wait for drivers going "one way" and demand various amounts of money. In some cases, they even take vehicles when drivers refuse to pay.

The drivers accused ARTMA officials of focusing only on fines and enforcement. They said the officials do not care about fixing the road conditions that force them into the opposite lane.

One taxi driver explained, "They always jump out from a corner of the road and stop you. If you don’t pay the money they demand, they will delay you or threaten to impound your vehicle. This has become a daily routine. Sometimes, they ask you to pay as much as ₦150,000."

He added, "It is worse for commercial buses going to Upper Iweka. They target us because they know we must take passengers to their various places of work and businesses. They do this during peak hours. They have no conscience, especially considering that it is deep and dangerous potholes that have caused vehicles to use the opposite lane."

The taxi driver continued, "They are not interested in finding a solution to the big dangerous potholes and bad roads along the Onitsha-Owerri Road. They only want to use it to make money from the motorists."

Another victim, who identified himself as "Mr Obinna," expressed his frustration. He described facing both deep potholes and heavy fines from traffic officers as a "double tragedy."

Mr Obinna, who owns a commercial bus, shared how ARTMA officials stopped him along the St Francis Okpoko bypass of the Onitsha-Owerri Road. He was fined ₦300,000 for allegedly driving against traffic.

He said, "I cried out to them, saying the diversion to the opposite lane was not deliberate. The deep potholes near the People’s Club Bus Stop make it impossible to drive safely. I had to divert to avoid damaging my car. The officials took my vehicle and demanded a fine of ₦300,000 for release."

After appealing to the agency’s leadership, the fine was reduced to ₦150,000, which he paid to get his vehicle back. He said, "We respect the law and the work ARTMA is doing. But it is painful to be fined such a huge amount for an offence caused by the poor road itself."

He also called on Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, and other agencies to quickly fix the bad parts of the Onitsha-Owerri Road. He wants to prevent accidents and avoidable arrests.

Another commercial driver, Chima Nwako, also urged for urgent road repairs to stop "one-way" driving, reduce traffic, and prevent accidents linked to the bad roads.

Mr I. Ikegbu, another motorist, said the Onitsha-Owerri Road had been in bad shape for months. He explained that many drivers are forced to take the opposite lane to avoid the potholes.

He added, "We are not supporting ‘one-way’. But the government should first fix that road. Every day, ARTMA officials are there impounding vehicles and collecting heavy fines, but the dangerous potholes causing the ‘one-way’ are left unattended to."

When we reached out to ARTMA’s Managing Director, Emeka Okonkwo, he insisted that any motorist who breaks the law should pay the fine. He warned drivers to avoid one-way offences. However, he did not respond when asked why they impose a ₦300,000 fine.