Technext’s recent inquiry reveals that the e-hailing drivers who claimed they were detained for opposing Moove‘s fare increase were, in fact, charged with threatening public safety and property damage.
This discovery challenges the narrative presented by the Lagos State branch of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), which alleged that Moove unlawfully detained the drivers due to their resistance to the company’s revised pricing policy.
The information emerged from a formal complaint filed by Comrade Jaiyesimi Azeez, chairman of the state council.
AUATON had claimed that Moses Ameh and Byang Zakka were apprehended by officers from Bar Beach police station at Moove’s behest. The union further alleged that the drivers endured torture and were coerced into signing pre-prepared statements before being held at Ikoyi correctional facility for a month.
“The two drivers were unlawfully detained at Bar Beach Police Station without any formal charges. This arrest was facilitated through collaboration between Moove Africa officials and certain Nigeria Legion officers, absent any valid warrant, court order, or official accusation. While in custody, the police forced the drivers to sign dictated statements under duress, underscoring the abuse of authority and illegality of the arrest,” the petition from the chairman detailed.
One of the drivers later confirmed this version of events.
After receiving an official statement from a Moove spokesperson, this reporter revisited the drivers with the new details. Byang Zakka admitted to making inflammatory comments in the drivers’ WhatsApp group:
“Our arrest was due to the threats we issued,” he confessed. “We did say those things, but we never intended to carry them out. Someone posted online that Moove doubled their remittance because they plan to seize our cars and assign them to new drivers if we don’t comply. I responded, ‘No, Moove can’t do that. If they try, we will march to Ojota and set their Ojota car park ablaze.’ That’s exactly what I said,” he explained.
Zakka stated that the arrest involved Nigeria Legion officers working alongside police personnel, whom the company frequently employs for security purposes. He recognized them from previous visits to Moove’s offices.
He recounted that the officers initially approached him under the guise of repossessing his vehicle. “They told me it was about my car, which made me trust them and comply since I hadn’t done anything wrong. When I got to the police station, I handed over my vehicle to the police for safekeeping,” he said.
He added that he apologized to Moove for his remarks as part of efforts to resolve the conflict. Both drivers were released from Ikoyi correctional centre after three weeks in custody.
Despite the apology, the drivers reported that their vehicle has not yet been returned. “We want to settle this; we didn’t mean what we said. We spoke with the GM and sincerely apologized. The problem now is that they haven’t dropped the case or returned our car,” he lamented.
Related: Moove drivers suspend operations over 100% weekly remittance increase
Claims of Unfair Practices by Moove
Approximately a month ago, drivers participating in Moove’s vehicle financing program on the Uber platform initiated a strike to protest a steep hike in their weekly remittance fees for Suzuki S-presso vehicles.
Drivers informed Technext that Moove raised the weekly remittance from ₦56,400 to ₦112,200. They highlighted that only ₦39,766 of this amount actually contributes to loan repayment, which is merely 33% of the total.
The drivers deemed the 100% increase unjustifiable and demanded a reversal.
According to a detailed cost breakdown obtained by Technext, aside from the ₦39,766 loan repayment, drivers pay ₦9,966 weekly for maintenance, ₦16,343 for repairs, ₦2,885 for insurance, ₦505 for personal insurance, and ₦42,735 as handling fees.
AUATON’s chairman accuses Moove of unethical and exploitative tactics, including inflating daily remittance amounts to extort drivers and assigning multiple drivers to a single vehicle to maximize profits.
“They promise drivers brand-new cars from CFAO Motors during contract signings but deliver used or accident-repaired vehicles from their Ojota workshop instead. They fail to properly document loan repayments, wrongfully label drivers as defaulters, and forcibly repossess vehicles,” he alleged.
He also accused the company of deducting fees for comprehensive health insurance without enrolling drivers, leaving many ill drivers unsupported and vulnerable to vehicle repossession when they were unable to meet remittance payments during recovery periods.
Comrade Azeez characterized these actions as evidence of systemic corruption, exploitation, and deliberate fraud targeting vulnerable drivers.
This report is an updated account based on allegations against Moove detailed in a petition submitted by AUATON to the Department of State Security (DSS) and reviewed by Technext. It includes official responses from Moove representatives and statements from the affected drivers.