DAILY FRAUD AT MM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TOLL GATE IKEJA LAGOS.

DAILY FRAUD AT MM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TOLL GATE IKEJA LAGOS.

Ordinarily, I will be the last person to write about fraudulent actions that do not affect me directly. This is because I am used to seeing corruption in organisations and it is usually traceable to the tip of the pyramid.

What is Financial Fraud?

Financial fraud can be broadly defined as an intentional act of deception involving financial transactions for purpose of personal gain. Fraud is a crime, and is also a civil law violation.

This writeup is to bring to public notice the daily financial fraud that takes place at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Toll gate. I have watched this act with so much dismay for many years and it got me worried about the future of this country. People do not care anymore about the good of all. This is why we hear of different kinds of financial crime daily. From kidnap and robbery, to advance fee fraud and baby factory.

I am encouraged to play my part in the fight against corruption because I believe we now have a national leader who detests corruption. President Buhari is known for his high level of integrity and going by his recent body language, I do not think he is ready to change that stance.

"Evil thrives when good men do nothing" ~ Unknown.

THE MAIN ISSUE
It is estimated by this writer that a ticketing officer (TO) goes home with an average of N50,000 cash daily, N1,500,000 monthly.  This is not a salary or allowance nor is it a genuine income.
Ticketing officers at MM International Airport Toll gate are having a swell time making money illegally from the government purse by not remitting to the authority the entire revenue collected at the toll gate. This people keep about 45%-65% of the total amount they collect daily. This is fraud!

HOW IS THIS DONE?
My study has shown that many drivers do not wait to be issued a ticket for the toll fee paid and when ticket is not issued,  the money goes to a private pocket. Sometimes drivers delay to ensure the printer brings out a receipt and then drives off without collecting the receipt. Again,  such receipt is sold to the next driver behind. All the ticketing officer needs to do is to tap the keyboard twice and bring out the old receipt that was kept beside the printer that is usually shielded from the driver's sight.
I have experienced this times without number. You will just notice that the time on the receipt is about 3-5 minutes earlier than your own time.
There is a particular key the TO is expected to tap on the keyboard  for a receipt to be issued depending on your kind of vehicle as price varies. Once you pay,  they tap the wrong key, the driver zooms off and the money is pocketed.
This is done with so much impunity on daily bases.

WHAT EFFRONTERY?
I have confronted these guys many times and the reaction has always been the same.
One of the several times I confronted a ticket officer for giving me an old ticket, she was so bold and without fear. The conversation went thus;

Me: excuse me, how come you didn't tap the keyboard before giving me a receipt and the receipt is 3 minutes earlier?

Ticketing officer : Oga that is your receipt abeg, mcheew (she hissed ).

Me: But the time is obviously different?
(already the driver behind me is pressing his horn...pon pon!!!!!!)
A supervisor walks close and asks "what's  the issue?" she tells him and the next thing he says; " oga dey go, you are causing traffic."

This writer is of the opinion that a staff of an organisation will not be so bold in committing fraud openly without a level of management direct or indirect approval.

Investigation revealed that the toll fee collection was outsourced to a private firm.

EFFECT OF THIS CRIME ON THE ECONOMY

Nigeria economy is presently nosediving and this is due to many reasons. Corruption in govt. Global economic issue, lack of foresight by passed leaders etc.  The economy is so bad that every penny generated will go a long way to affect the bottom line.
It has been said that our economic woes became critical due to the widened leakages created by various players especially since 1999.

Simply put, any money that enters the pucket of these thieves, means less money for the federal government.
We have a government which needs every penny it can get to implement it's electoral promises, hence, the need to play our part in supporting such government.
I have done my part in exposing this evil.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

Wherever you notice anything wrong, do what you can to challenge it. Do not seat and complain.
In this particular case, always ensure you wait and take your correct receipt whenever you pay for public good. This will go a long way to force them to remit as much as possible to government.

Just in case the authority cares to change the status quo, there should be a mitre to read how many times the bar is raised, a cctv to record activities, a card with chip for those who use stickers. This will help in no small measure to curb fraud in toll gates around the country.

My experience.

Let us have your comments below.
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