Benin, Edo – In a rare display of accountability within Nigeria's often-criticized traffic enforcement landscape, operatives from the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) have refunded N20,000 extorted from a local resident following swift intervention by a civil rights advocacy group.

The incident, which unfolded along the bustling Ugbowo-Lagos Road near the University of Benin (UNIBEN) main gate, highlights ongoing concerns over abuse of power by state agencies but also underscores the growing effectiveness of citizen-led complaints in curbing such misconduct.

The victim, Mr. Billy, a Nigerian citizen whose full name has been withheld for privacy, was stopped by EDSTMA personnel on Friday, November 28, 2025, during routine traffic checks in the high-traffic area adjacent to UNIBEN's Ugbowo campus.

According to details obtained from advocacy sources, Mr. Billy was allegedly coerced into paying the sum under duress, with no valid infraction cited.

Upon learning of the extortion, the Comrade Anthony Osayande-led Transport Unit of the AHMWES "Bail is Free" Campaign Organization sprang into action.

They lodged a formal complaint directly with EDSTMA's disciplinary committee for internal probe which moved with uncharacteristic speed.

The disciplinary unit acknowledged the complaint, assured corrective measures, and facilitated the full recovery of the N20,000 to Mr. Billy by Tuesday, December 2, 2025, just four days after the incident.

Sources within the agency confirmed to DAILY South Nigeria that the involved operatives face potential sanctions, including retraining or suspension, though specifics remain under review to protect ongoing investigations.

This episode arrives amid a backdrop of heightened scrutiny on EDSTMA with complaints, including a 2021 protest by bus drivers on the same Benin-Lagos corridor over alleged extortion by agency personnel.

Advocacy groups like AHMWES argue that such incidents erode trust in state institutions.

EDSTMA have yet to issue a public statement.