Daylight Robbery!’ Baba Dee Blasts Alleged Corruption In Lagos Train System

Nigerian singer and filmmaker Dare Fasasi, popularly known as Baba Dee, has condemned what he described as entrenched corruption and poor management within Nigeria’s public systems, drawing attention to his recent experience with the Lagos train service.

In a post shared on Instagram, Baba Dee revealed that he opted to use the train after abandoning his car due to the severe traffic congestion in Lagos. However, he said the experience left him deeply disappointed.

According to him, it was alarming to discover that several train stations were reportedly out of Cowrie cards in December — one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

He further expressed outrage over the conduct of an attendant who allegedly collected bank transfers into a personal account to allow passengers access to the train.

Baba Dee noted that commuters complied only because they had no alternative, describing the practice as blatant exploitation masquerading as public service.

He warned that such actions would quickly erode public confidence and discourage train usage, stressing that no system can endure when those entrusted with its management treat it as a personal source of income.

“Corruption remains our greatest enemy as a people,” he wrote. “Everyone finds a way to abuse whatever position they occupy, and then we wonder why the country struggles to develop.

“I was recently in Lagos and decided to take the train to the Island because of the chaos on the roads. What I encountered was shocking. During December, a peak travel season, train stations claimed they were out of Cowrie cards. How is that even possible?

“At Orile–Iganmu, an attendant was openly receiving transfers into his personal account just so commuters could board. People paid because they had no choice. This is nothing short of daylight robbery disguised as public service.

“This level of mismanagement will kill train patronage in no time. You cannot undermine a system and expect it to survive. Public infrastructure cannot function when it’s treated like a personal cash machine.

“If we fail to speak out and demand accountability, then we become complicit. The system must be fixed, standards enforced, and corruption punished. Nigerians deserve better.”