Moove Accused by AUATON of Arresting and Torturing Drivers for Resisting Exploitation

The Lagos State council of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has accused Moove, the e-mobility company, of wrongly arresting and torturing drivers who stood up against unfair treatment. The union says Moove arrested two drivers, Moses Ameh and Byang Zakka, and treated them very badly just because they resisted being exploited. This is a serious claim made clear in a petition by Comrade Jaiyesimi Azeez, the union’s chairman in Lagos.

The union says Moove worked with police officers from the Bar Beach police station to arrest the two drivers without any proper legal reason. According to AUATON, the drivers were taken in without being told what crime they were accused of. The police forced the drivers to sign statements that Moove had prepared for them. Then, the drivers were locked up in Ikoyi correctional centre for a whole month without any court trial or charge. This shows Moove arresting and torturing drivers for resisting exploitation.

Comrade Azeez explained that during their time in custody, the two drivers were verbally and physically hurt. They were treated in a very bad way and were not given a chance to defend themselves. Their basic human rights were ignored. The union’s petition says, “This is a serious abuse of power. It shows a clear attempt to scare and silence innocent drivers who work with Moove’s driving program.”

Moove accused by AUATON of arresting and torturing drivers

AUATON is calling for a full investigation into this case. They want the police and Moove officials involved to be punished if found guilty. They also want the two drivers to get compensation for their pain, lost money, and mental suffering. This case highlights why Moove accused by AUATON is a big issue for app-based drivers.

This is not the first time Moove has faced criticism for how they treat drivers. A month ago, many drivers who use Moove’s vehicle financing program on the Uber platform stopped working. Their reason was that Moove suddenly doubled the amount the drivers must pay every week. The new payment went from 56,400 naira to 112,200 naira, which was too much for many drivers to handle. This led to protests, as the drivers called Moove out for unfair price increases.

The drivers said that the way Moove breaks down the weekly payments is unfair. Out of the 112,200 naira, only about 39,766 naira goes to paying off the loan. That’s just a third of the total. They are also confused about why the handling fee is so high, at 42,735 naira, more than the loan repayment itself.

Comrade Azeez accused Moove of other bad practices too. He said Moove lies about giving brand-new vehicles but instead gives out used or repaired cars from their workshop in Ojota. The union also claims Moove inflates remittance numbers to collect more money, and they let more than one driver use the same vehicle to make extra profit.

Another problem raised is that drivers do not get the full health insurance they pay for. When some drivers got sick, they were left without help, and if they could not pay during that time, Moove took back their cars. The chairman said these actions show clear corruption and a bad system designed to take advantage of drivers.

The union also says Moove forges driver signatures on fake contracts and hides the real contracts from drivers. This stops drivers from knowing the real terms and shows a lack of honesty from Moove. Comrade Azeez said, “Moove promised new vehicles but gave used ones, then raised payments by more than 100% pretending these were for handling and repairs. This breaks the contract and cheats the drivers.”

AUATON wants a full look into how Moove runs its drive-to-own business in Lagos. They want laws to protect drivers and make companies like Moove follow fair rules.

This is a serious call to protect the rights of app-based drivers. The union’s fight shows how important it is to stop companies from mistreating workers who help run Nigeria’s growing transport technology. This case needs quick attention to end unfair treatment and abuse against these drivers.

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