In Lagos, it’s ‘illegal’ mega parks everywhere

In Lagos, touts illegally help park your vehicles in public space, charge you and take custody of your keys and vehicle security for hours without any formal agreement. As risky, funny and unwise this sounds, even elite engage in it without fuss. It is all about parking space and convenience. TOLA ADENUBI tells of the deal and risk of these ‘illegal’ parks.

On all the occasions Saturday Tribune had visited Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for official assignments, N500 was always paid for parking space, the latest being last week when the chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, hosted media professionals to a roundtable on his stewardship. With the commission’s office space filled to the brim with vehicles confiscated from owners who are under corruption probe, the guests had to look for space to park their vehicles. The uniformed men manning the roadblock before the gate to the commission are always quick to sympathise with visitors with vehicles on the non-availability of space before politely directing them to the yard of the commission’s immediate neighbour, the Ministry of Information, which has its entrance gate right beside the roadblock. As Saturday Tribune’s correspondent made to turn into the decrepit building premises, a police officer pleasantly whispered to him, “they will allow you to park but you will find something small for them.”

We’re hungry –Ministry staff

The Saturday Tribune’s correspondent, being a regular caller, knew the rule of the game very well to believe the “find something” story of the EFCC security officer. What operates within the Federal Government’s space is full-blown, well-structured illegal business. When our correspondent introduced himself to the security officer, who was clad in a brown uniform that had obviously seen better times, he assumed the reporter was planning to avoid the parking fee he had expressly announced to him before the gate was opened. He promptly asked the reporter to “see my CSO.” The Chief Security Officer, likely to be in his 60s, was approaching vehicle owners with some air of importance. Unlike his subordinate, he was in mufti and as he barked orders to his men on where everybody inside the premises should be parked, he kept repeating “collect their N500.”

A senior journalist who came in after Saturday Tribune’s reporter was told to leave his car keys with them because he had blocked the passage way for other parked cars and their owners might want to live ahead of him. The senior journalist told the CSO and his accomplice-subordinate that what they asked was next to impossible because of the state of the car. Both parties agreed he should leave his mobile number behind for possible contact in the course of the meeting with Magu.

Although the security men became hesitant in pressing for immediate payment by Saturday Tribune’s reporter once they realised his identity, N500 was still offered them when the assignment ended. Having obviously discussed the reporter’s identity before the assignment ended, the younger man followed him to where his car was parked and tried to explain why they were engaging in the illegality.

“Nine months now, dey neva pay us from Abuja (referring to the Federal Ministry of Information headed by Alhaji Lai Mohammed). Na di moni wey we make hia na im we dey manage dey use come office,” he said.

Saturday Tribune’s reporter sympathised with him and sought to know more about their predicament and the man added: “Anytime moni come from Abuja, (budgetary allocation) na share dem dey share am here (referring to the management of the building housing a presidential committee on policy implementation at its annex and the Nigeria Press Council on one of the floors of the main building). We dey hungry here and na dis moni (money from the illegal park operations) we take dey manage. Some of us sef no dey come work again because moni no dey for dem to come office again. Abeg oga, help us ask why dem no dey pay us.”

Saturday Tribune’s reporter assured him the enquiry would be made. As the reporter was making his way out after payment of N500, the CSO approached him with another round of plea, to help beg the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, to pay them their outstanding salaries, claiming that the last time the security men were paid was November 2017.

A gold mine?

The men conducting the illegal park business on government property may have a justification but business hasn’t been bad as observed by Saturday Tribune. The daily boom is mainly attributable to their next-door neighbour, the EFCC, a place daily thronged by scores of vehicle owners who have to willy-nilly, park on the ministry’s premises and must pay to avoid embarrassment. Saturday Tribune met close to 15 vehicles on ground and also observed that traffic in and out of the place was constant, meaning that business is always good at any time of the day, before the close of work. With a minimum of N7,500 income every three hours, the conservative estimate of a daily intake is N22,500, for a work day starting from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

In a month, a mind-boggling N657,000 is likely going into the pocket of the grumbling security men. This huge illegal income possibly explains their well-fed appearances which astounded Saturday Tribune when they claimed being owed nine months salary.

Although their salary package was not made known to Saturday Tribune, none of them could obviously be earning anything in the region of what they illegally make at the end of the month. The men may be clamouring for the payment of their outstanding salary but it is not likely they will quit even if they are not paid for years.

Ministry reacts

Joe Mutah, spokesperson for the ministry, found the claim of the security men hilarious when Saturday Tribune contacted him. He wondered the resort to self-help using illegal means. He promised to get the details to provide a comprehensive response. As of press time, he was yet to fulfil the promise.

Illegal ‘mega’ parks everywhere

It is not only the Federal Ministry of Information staff that are smiling home, operating illegal car parks in the state. Another flourishing illegality is the roadside park (both sides) on the popular Isale Eko comprising Balogun, Oluwole and Idumota markets. When Saturday Tribune visited the area, which borders the Iga Idunganran palace of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, business was booming for the touts operating the illegal business. They beckon at drivers looking for space, while trying to guide them to available slots. Though different touts were calling on the same side, there was no direct competition for “clients,” suggesting that proceeds are possibility going to a common purse. Apart from the roadside, there are also enclosed parks where things appear more organised.

Saturday Tribune patronised one of such with a barbed wire fencing containing about 15 cars. Here, you are told point-blank that you must leave your car keys behind. They point out your anti-theft security installation and reveal how to operate such security system.

An average potential client has a choice: patronise the roadside, hold on to your keys and place all risks on yourself, or submit to the “rules” of the “organised” parking space and share risk with those taking your keys away from you so that your cars could be moved in an event that passage is needed for another vehicle, either already parked or just coming in.

The only snag with the “organised” system over there, where all keys are kept in a paint plastic bucket, is that there is no understanding of who bears the liability.

One of them who spoke with Saturday Tribune, decked in ankara fabric buba and sokoto with a toned face, gave the assurance that nothing would happen to the reporter’s car.

“Baba (salutation) ko seni to ma tamper pelu moto nibi. E beere ni everywhere. Moto yin safe pelu wa. Iga (palace) ni gbogbo ibi yio. Ko seni to njale nibi (Sir, your car is safe here. Ask everywhere. Here is part of the palace, nobody steals around here),” he assured.

Saturday Tribune’s reporter eventually succumbed, dropped the keys and showed the young men the security system. Hours later, the reporter returned to meet his car moved and the broken part of the ignition key fixed by them. Nothing appeared to be missing from the car, although an inventory was not taken before the custody was submitted to them.

Everywhere Saturday Tribune mentioned the issue in the market, everybody seemed cool with it. A trader who deals in polo T-shirt said he had been patronising the illegal park for years without any issue. And to show business has been good on both sides, it was even the touts that directed Saturday Tribune to the said trader for patronage. The fenced arena looks all organised and without doubt, the proceeds are going into a central purse. Those pulling in customers are mere agents.

Et tu Alausa?

Deji Dawodu, a civil servant with the Lagos State government, did not remember the last time he drove to the Alausa Secretariat because he always parked his car at a popular park on CIPM Road, around Alausa, the seat of power and the operators always had his car keys till the close of work. For Deji and many other visitors to the Alausa Secretariat, using the park along CIPM Road, just across the seat of government, and handing over the keys to unknown individuals managing the park is a ritual from Monday to Friday.

“The people managing this car park are so familiar these days that even when I hand over my car keys after parking in the morning, we crack some jokes before I make payment. I have never experienced my vehicle being tampered with or heard of anybody losing his vehicle to theft at these car parks. I think these car parks emerged due to lack of space in the state following the industrialisation that swept through the state over the years.

“Many of the young men you see collecting car keys from vehicle owners at these car parks are married. They make a living doing this, so I am not sure vehicles can get missing or pilfered at these car parks,” Dawodu stated.

For many property owners who have vast spaces within their compounds, making brisk business out of parking lot seems to be the order of the day in Lagos. Charges per vehicles range between N400 and N500 around Ikeja and environs.

However, while various car parks located along CIPM Road around Alausa and Obafemi Awolowo Way in Ikeja could be much secure due to their proximity to the seat of government, vehicle owners who work on the Island don’t seem to enjoy such luxury.

Marina, Apongbon, too

On the Marina stretch of the Island lie numerous car parks housing thousands of vehicles on a daily basis. These vehicles pay a minimum of N400 and maximum of N700 to park at these parks. Aside from the car parks that dot the Marina stretch of the island, many streets that cut into the Lagos Island also serve as car parks for many visitors. A major requirement of these car parks is the handing over of car keys after parking, just like what obtains in the state capital, Ikeja.

Even streets like Apongbon, Idowu Martins, Odunlami and Broad now have spaces for parking. Many of these streets are managed by stern-looking young guys who approach vehicle owners for space to park and collect N500 for such services, including collection of the ignition keys.

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Security breaches: Like mainland, unlike island

Major industries and corporate organisations in the state which on daily basis, play host to different vehicles and luxury cars in diverse shades and colours, dot the island and mainland landscape. For many of the employees or visitors to these organisations, finding spaces to park their vehicles have become a herculean task, which makes many to resort to “park and pay.”

While many car owners didn’t complain of their vehicles being stolen on the Mainland, cases of attempted theft abound on the Island. For Chijioke Abulume, his car’s safe compartment was once searched when he parked on Odunlami Street on the Island.

“I once visited the Island to check on a friend who works with a commercial bank on the island but couldn’t locate anywhere to park without paying. I ended up on Odunlami Street where I had to part with N300 to a young man who still collected my car keys. Being a first timer, I was afraid to drop my car keys but the man insisted that it was a requirement for parking because if other vehicle owners needed to leave, then they would need to re-park my car if it was blocking other vehicles.

“Indeed, there were other vehicles behind me parked in close proximity to each other, maybe to maximize available space, thus fuelling the need for most of the cars parked to be re-parked if one of the vehicles stuck in-between needs to leave before others.

“I reluctantly left my car keys with the man and left for my friend’s place. That was after I had called my friend to inform him of the precarious situation I was in, and he assured me that my car was safe. My friend even told me that was the system on the Island when it comes to parking.

“However, after about three hours with my friend, I got back to the parking lot to discover that my car was no longer parked where I initially parked it when I arrived. Aside from the change in the parking position, I observed that where I usually arranged business cards and little stuff just below my car tape had been scattered, apparently by somebody looking for something.

“I couldn’t place it, maybe it was down to my curiosity. I didn’t leave any valuable in the car, so nothing was taken, aside from my business card compartment being ruffled,” Abulume, an insurance broker, explained to Saturday Tribune.

For Jide Olaogun, finding cigarette stubs in his car after paying to park on the island gave him reasons to be scared of taking his car to that place again. According to him, “I stopped taking my car to the island the day I found cigarette stubs on the floor of my car. I don’t smoke, so it was easily understandable that in the process of re-parking my car, the driver, maybe smoking, unconsciously left cigarette stubs on the floor of my car.

“It really got me worried because my wife’s iPod was just underneath the passenger’s seat. When I parked the car and my car keys were collected from me, I didn’t know it would lead to someone else entering my car, driving it and even smoking while driving. Since that time, I now prefer boarding commercial buses anytime I am visiting the island. It’s high time the Lagos State government looked into the activities of these car parks. It is time somebody regulated them. We shouldn’t wait till when people’s car are getting ransacked or stolen before we take action. The state government should do something about these car parks scattered across the state.”

No regulation in sight

For those yearning for official regulation for various car parks in Lagos, they may have to wait a little bit longer as the state government has revealed that regulation idea was still at infancy. Responding to enquiries on the issue by Saturday Tribune, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Mr Taiwo Olufemi Salaam, disclosed that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was already looking at setting up laws for many private car parks in the state. “For people that had their vehicles content ruffled or scattered, they possibly parked at private car parks in the state. The state has its own car parks but we also know that there are numerous car park operators in many busy areas of the state. Very soon, a regulation guiding these private car parks will be out,” Salaam said.

Understanding the delay

In the words of a source close to the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, the regulation that the state said was in the pipeline might never materialise because many of the car parks are being controlled by highly-placed persons in the state through proxy.

“Do you know that most of those car parks on the island are controlled by highly-placed persons in the state? That is why the perm sec or even the commissioner wouldn’t want to shed more light on its regulation, because doing that might become suicidal for any of them since these car parks are controlled by persons who wine and dine with the powers that be in the state.

“Even the local government chairmen of the areas where these car parks are located cannot checkmate the activities of these operators. It is beyond them. Until the state government promulgates a law guiding the activities of car parks, nothing can be done for now,” the source said.

In a separate chat with Saturday Tribune, an employee of one of the car parks located on the island, who simply identified himself as Seyi, explained that on a daily basis, they make between N10,000 and N20,000, depending on traffic on the island.

“Here on the island, car parks make money, depending on the availability of space under their control. For those car parks that litter the Marina Road, some make as much as N30,000 to N40,000 every day while for some that are located inside the streets, they make as much as N20,000 daily.

“There is much space along the Marina because the road is not populated by buildings to the side close to the water. If you notice, all the high-rise buildings along the Marina are all on one side of the road. The side of the Marina road close to the lagoon has very few structures on it. Thus, many of the unoccupied space along the Marina have become car parks. Some accommodate as much as 60 to 80 vehicles at a go. So these car parks make more money than the streets where we operate.

“While many of the car parks along the Marina pay taxes to the state because many of them are controlled by companies that have presence on the busy side of the road, we don’t do such here. We remit all our daily earnings to our bosses who, in turn, remit to our Ogas at the top,” Seyi said.

According to a staff of the NPA car park located opposite the agency, money collected at the car park is taxed through the agency. The staff who declined to have his name mentioned stated that car parks along the Marina Road were regulated because companies, not individuals, control them.

“Many of the car parks that you see along the Marina are controlled by corporate entities. Therefore, many are taxed through these companies. That is why you will hardly hear of security breaches in any car park along the Marina. Workers here are registered, and touts or street urchins are not employed here. But for those car parks inside the streets on the island, I cannot say this about them because individuals, not corporate entities, control them,” he said.

Police speak

When contacted to know if there had been complaints by people whose car had been ransacked or even stolen, the spokesman of the state police command, Mr Oti Chike, explained that the police were yet to receive any complaint. He, however, said the police were ready to swoop on any car park, private or registered, if the force received any complaint of vehicle theft.

“The issue of parking your car and handing over your car keys to the operators of the car park is a civil case and we don’t get involved in civil cases. You will agree with me that if a vehicle owner agrees to hand over his car keys after parking and paying, then the police do not have any problem with that. It is only when the vehicle owner comes to us and reports that his vehicle has been ransacked or even stolen that the car park operators have us to deal with.

“We will not hesitate to swoop on car park operators if we receive complaints from owners of the vehicles, but until we receive such complaint, we cannot just swoop on the car park operators because it is a civil arrangement between the owner of the car and the car park operators,” Oti said.