The Omotaku Boys in Lagos is a wave. Lagosians drive around certain parts of Lagos during certain periods and dread they are attacked by a certain young mob known as Omotaku Boys.
This implies that sometimes, potholes and traffic may not always be the greatest threat to Lagos drivers ; it is the fear of a mob attack after when a car breaks down in certain areas during certain periods.
Who are Omotaku Boys?
Omotaku is a Yoruba word meaning derived from the suffix ‘taku which means ‘to halt’. The ‘Omo’ takes in the suffix to means ‘boys that control a situation when a vehicle halts or breaks down or fails to move during a traffic congestion. They appear first as street or roadside mechanics or revenue officials. Suddenly, they turn into a mob. Therefore, the concept is summed up as a group of boys who forcefully extort motorists whose vehicles break down.
Omotaku Boys methods are systematic. They start by asking for a “parking fee” for the space a stalled driver takes up when a vehicle breaks down. When a driver agrees or declines, they ask to allow them assist a driver to move the broken-down vehicles by using a mechanic from their own network. This means that they do not allow a mechanic brought by a driver to operate.
Amidst all these, Omotaku Boys do not speak lightly. They eventually coerce a driver to do their will. They demand money and even go further to destroy a vehicle if they want to.
Dark spots to avoid Omotaku Boys in Lagos
There are spots in Lagos where one can avoid Omotaku Boys. This is because they are mostly seen in and around these areas harassing motorists and vehicle owners.
ENigeria Newspaper has compiled the following as places to avoid in Lagos because of the menace of Omotaku boys.
Oshodi
Fadeyi
Jibowu
Ikorodu Road
Lagos-Badagry Expressway
Iyana Ipaja,
Agege,
Abule Egba,
Old Sango Toll Gate,
Alakuko,
Alagbado,
Oshodi,
Ketu,
Ojota,
Mile 2,
Orile,
Mile 12,
Ikorodu,
Lagos Island.
This list does not excuse every other places in Lagos. These boys can be found all around Lagos State. Their ultimate purpose is to prowl around for stranded drivers and victims whose cars break down on the road.
Recently, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab announced that some street urchins and suspected armed robbers had been arrested. He described the arrests as “part of our ongoing effort to reclaim public spaces, protect commuters, and dismantle criminal activities that thrive around critical transport corridors.” Highways, bridges, and pedestrian pathways must continue to be safe places for law-abiding Lagosians rather than safe havens for criminal activity.
