“I love to be a Nigerian, but sometimes it gets very painful to be identify as one. Because how am I coming back from one country. I got to the international airport and I was treated wickedly. I called the driver because it was late. My flight was moved, moved, and moved.

Then I came in very late. So I called the driver. He came, not knowing that this driver knows these guys. He’s working with them because it was when I got to my hotel room that I started thinking about the whole situation and realised that this driver knows these guys.

So they started from, ‘Oh, we know you from social media now,’ three guys. I don’t know them. And I greeted. I said, hello, how are you doing? I carried my box. They moved. One of them collected my box. They offered to help me and I told them not to worry because I know say no help for Nigeria wey be free. I know say something must come outside. They insisted and I said no problem.

Immediately I got to the car, I wanted to sit down. One of the guys held my bag, like my handbag, held the bag, and said, ‘How far, do something for us now.’ I’m was like, okay. So why the approach of holding my bag? I wanted to sit down in the car. I was dragg!ng my bag with this guy oo. He said, ‘Mommy, do something for us now.’

For the first time I asked, who’s your mommy? You fool. You’re older than me. I then opened my purse, carried ₦5,000, gave to them to share. They were three. And they replied and said, no oo we don’t take Naira. I said, “Eh?”

At this point, it was becoming awkward. One guy was standing by this door. The other guy was standing by the other door. It was becoming like I was being ambushed. And guess what? The driver was in front pretending like the car would not start. I said driver, move, this man didn’t answer.

This guy held my bag. He was looking into my pocket. He said, “Ah, mama, see dollar there now because I had China yuan. Mama, see yuan there now. Mama, give us yuan now. Ah! It was not funny. The guy held my bag. All this while he had not let go of my bag.

All because of what? For our international airport? What are the authorities doing about these people… Why are you w!ll!ng passengers? What kind of rubbish is that? I don’t understand. As am talking to you, these guys collected 100 yuan (₦20,000), first off. They also collected about 1,500 Mauritian rupees (₦45,000). They rejected Naira. People wey dey beg get choice for airports. Incase you’re seeing this video, thunder will fire you people for extorting me.

*A Nigerian lady recounts a disturbing experience she faced at the international airport upon returning from abroad.