Taxi drivers decry numerous checkpoints, extortion in Bamenda
By Nange Mbehni
Drivers in Bamenda who ply the Bamenda-Bambili road have raised concerns regarding the many checkpoints they meet on the road daily.
According to one of the drivers who seek anonymity, he is tired of settling government forces at checkpoints, which is why he doesn’t exceed the required four passengers. “There are days I will not even carry overload, but I will be forced to ‘settle control’ at almost every checkpoint. This has discouraged me from going to Bambili more than twice a day.”
Government forces are stationed in places like Mile 9 Bambili, Bambui corners, Tubah, Mile 6, Mile 4, Guinness, Foncha junction, Mile 1, Below Foncha, and Ntabessi.
The money allegedly paid to the forces at checkpoints is always on duress, “Imagine from City Chemist to Bambili we have about 8 checkpoints. Some will request FCFA 500 and some FCFA 1000. I carry up to 7 passengers at times so that I have something to eat for the day. If I have to run that stretch of road more than twice given that there are days, we have to pay FCFA1000 per checkpoint, I won’t be able to eat.”
The rotatory session done by these military men has caused some drivers to avoid reaching Bambili intentionally. Alvin is a driver in Bamenda and says, “There are about 8 checkpoints but at the end of the day, I discover I have settled more than 8 checkpoints because as this one leaves at 2, another branch will come and take that same spot and of course, I have to settle them.”
As some drivers shy away from the Bamenda-Bambili road, Alvin sticks to it. “The longest road I can go to have money is going right to Bambili. For now, that’s the longest road and once I settle drivers in the morning, I can use that road again for about 3-4 times with overload before the next control rotates.”
“It has worked for me though not every time because, at times, we have to make friends with some of these military men so as to able to pass at times without settling them, but it won’t last.”
Excluding drivers who ply the Bamenda-Bambili road, are another set of drivers who circulate only within the town. Their side of the story is not quite different from the former.
Nji is a driver who circulates only within Bamenda 1 and 2 and narrates his ordeal lamenting that “The difference between a Bambili driver and myself is only distance because I settle police checkpoints day-in, day-out. Almost every day I carry 4 passengers behind and 2 in front but when I reach a checkpoint, I beg one of the passengers in front to alight and cross the checkpoint before getting back into the car. This is a technique almost every driver in Bamenda does to avoid settling these guys at times.”
“Circulating only around town I don’t really make much but the control post sometimes exceeds my income for the day, so I try to avoid them by resulting in carrying few passengers,” he continued.
The numerous checkpoints in Bamenda are alarming and the drivers hope some of them close because to them, it’s gross extortion on them by the military.
