Popular Nigerian comedian and content creator, Chukwuebuka Amuzie, popularly known as Brain Jotter, has cried out after being harassed by suspected thugs while driving in his car in Lagos.
In a post shared on his official Instagram page on Tuesday, the skit maker uploaded a video and captioned it, “Nigerian zoo keepers are the worst. We lack good wild life and they let a lion escape from the zoo this is sad.”
The video shows the moment the content creator was confronted by a group of men on a Lagos road who reportedly refused to allow him free passage, demanding settlement before he could leave.
The incident adds to a rising number of complaints by entertainers, professionals and ordinary residents over the activities of suspected area boys, also known as agberos, in different parts of Lagos.
Only days earlier, the younger sister of Afrobeats star Ayra Starr, Saltiana, popularly known as DJ Salt of Life, cried out after suspected area boys damaged her car in Lagos. She said the men mistook her for the singer, shouted her sister’s name and attacked the vehicle when she did not give them money.
In another recent account, medical doctor Olusina Ajidahun, known as The Bearded Sina, and music video director ThankGod Omori, popularly called TG Omori, separately recounted how they were extorted and threatened by street touts while carrying out their professional duties in the state. Ajidahun said touts besieged a free medical outreach in Mushin and demanded money under threat of causing chaos.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab,in the past said the state government had continued to arrest and dislodge street urchins across the state, but that cash handouts from celebrities, influencers and members of the public were undermining those efforts by encouraging the touts to view the streets as a lucrative source of livelihood and breeding a sense of entitlement among them. He called for collective responsibility and cooperation from the public to build a safer and more orderly Lagos.
The post quickly drew reactions from followers. One user, #Daddy_Tweens, wrote that the comedian was referring to people in Lagos who behave like animals in the wildlife, specifically pointing to Southwest thugs.
Another commenter, #emmakudos, said, “Monsters in Lagos like this have been enabled by the government.” A third user, #OkonkwoDavidC1 simply stated, “Lagos State and thugs na 5&6,”
#Abraham06084565, noted that the incident occurred in Bariga after a show and described the men as street boys who confronted Brain Jotter when he refused to settle them.
These reports form part of wider concerns about alleged extortion, harassment and vandalism by street touts in areas including Lekki, Ajah, Oshodi, Mushin and Agege. Motorists driving relatively expensive vehicles or those mistaken for celebrities have repeatedly been targeted.
Brain Jotter’s latest experience has once again thrown the spotlight on the challenges many face while navigating Lagos traffic.