LASTMA ARREST FAKE OFFICER ENGAGED IN  EXTORTION OF MOTORISTS ON OSHODI BRIDGE, LAGOS.

 

In a audit operation conducted by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), a man impersonating a LASTMA officer, Mr. Adewunmi Taiwo, age 45, was arrested on Oshodi Bridge and detained.

This individual had been posing as an official to intimidate and extort funds from both commercial and private motorists in the vicinity.

Operating a white Hiace Coaster Bus with the license plate KJA 724 YJ, Mr. Taiwo utilized this guise to harass drivers in the area. Upon a meticulous search of his vehicle, LASTMA OOfficers discovered an official LASTMA uniform, including a branded raincoat, among his possessions.

During interrogation, Mr. Taiwo, who claimed to hail from Ilesha in Osun State and is married with three children, confessed to using the uniform to extort unwitting motorists, targeting high-traffic routes along Ikorodu Road and the Oshodi to Mile 2 expressway. He further admitted to generating between N15,000 and N25,000 daily from these unauthorized activities.

Addressing the incident, LASTMA General Manager Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki confirmed that the agency had received multiple reports regarding extortion linked to this particular Hiace Coaster Bus. In response, LASTMA’s Surveillance and Monitoring Unit was mobilized to investigate and subsequently apprehend the suspect.

“We are unwavering in our commitment to uphold LASTMA’s integrity and professionalism,” affirmed Mr. Bakare-Oki. ” he used the opportunity to issue a stern warning to individuals who exploit among the agency officers using LASTMA’s identity for unlawful gains: any attempt to tarnish the agency’s reputation will be met with the full force of the law as the man will be charged accordingly.”

LASTMA also reassured the public of its vigilant enforcement efforts to safeguard the efficacy of traffic management in Lagos State. The agency urges all motorists to report any suspicious activities via LASTMA’s toll-free hotlines (080000527862) to eradicate this illicit practice.

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