A controversial social trend has continued to spark heated debate in Rivers State. Young women, particularly students, requesting transport fare from men and then failing to show up for arranged meetings.The controversy gained wider attention after Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, described the act as fraudulent and punishable under the law in a viral video.
Interviews with some female students revealed different reasons for the practice. While some admitted using it to discourage persistent suitors or punish married men seeking affairs, others linked it to financial pressures or unavoidable changes in schedule.
Amaka Johnson, a 200-level student of Mass Communication at Rivers State University, explained that she often resorts to the method to discourage men she is not interested in. “When I don’t have feelings for a guy and he keeps disturbing me, I ask him for transport fare. Once he sends it, I don’t show up. After doing it two or three times, he gets the message and leaves me alone,” she said.
Joy Emmanuel, a 300-level Sociology student at the University of Port Harcourt, noted that some girls see it as a way to discourage married men. “A lot of girls collect money because the man is married. Refusing to show up makes him lose interest. For me, it’s a way of sending a signal that his attention is not wanted,” she explained.
For others, financial challenges are the main motivation. Sarah Kalu, a 100-level student of Economics at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, openly admitted she collects transport fare without intending to meet up. “I have used their money to settle one or two school needs. I can’t visit them. Since some married men cannot stick to their God-given wives, I don’t feel guilty collecting from them without showing up,” she said.
Not all cases, however, are deliberate. Blessing Nwoko, a 200-level Law student at the University of Port Harcourt, stressed that sometimes genuine circumstances prevent visits. “Not showing up might not always be intentional. You may have a sudden test or another urgent issue in school that makes it impossible to keep the appointment,” she explained.
Some young men interviewed expressed deep frustration with the trend, describing it as exploitative. Daniel Briggs, a final-year Engineering student at Rivers State University, recalled his experience. “I worked hard to get money and sent it to a girl for transport. She didn’t come. It was my first attempt at meeting her, and I felt betrayed. The truth is she will one day go through the same stress I went through to get that money,” he lamented.
Another student, Chukwuemeka Obi from the Department of Political Science, University of Port Harcourt, described it as a sign of immaturity. “Only mature people stick to commitments. Collecting money and refusing to honor an agreement is a sign of immaturity and lack of values,” he said.
A sociologist, Dr. Larry-Love Effiong traced the trend to larger economic and social problems. According to him, the practice reflects deeper issues in society. “Parents have a role to play. They should guide their grown children to act responsibly. The truth is that the social system itself has failed. Hunger, high cost of living, and limited opportunities are pushing young people to seek alternatives, even if they compromise moral standards,” he said. He added that the erosion of values in society has normalized behavior once considered unacceptable. “When survival becomes the focus, morals often give way. That is what we are witnessing,” he added.
The “transport fare and no show” phenomenon continues to divide public opinion. While some justify it as self-defense against unwanted advances or a coping strategy in difficult economic times, others insist it is nothing short of deception. As the debate rages on, the issue raises broader questions about morality, relationships, and the state of society in Rivers State and Nigeria at large.
