The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), has arrested a man, Mr Adewunmi Taiwo, aged 45, for impersonating a LASTMA officer in Oshodi.
For several months, the man had been posing as a LASTMA official to intimidate and extort funds from both commercial and private motorists in the vicinity until he was nabbed on Friday.
LASTMA General Manager Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki has confirmed the arrest.
Operating a white Hiace Coaster Bus with the licence plate KJA 724 YJ, Taiwo utilized this guise to harass drivers in the area.
Upon a meticulous search of his vehicle, LASTMA officers uncovered an official LASTMA uniform, including a branded raincoat, among his possessions, confirming his intentions to deceive.
During interrogation, Taiwo, who claimed to hail from Ilesha in Osun State and is married with three children, confessed to misusing the uniform to extort unwitting motorists, targeting high-traffic routes along Ikorodu Road and the Oshodi to Mile 2 motorway.
He further admitted to generating between N15,000 and N25,000 daily from these unauthorised activities.
Addressing the incident, LASTMA General Manager Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki said 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.
Bakare-Oki said, “We are unwavering in our commitment to uphold LASTMA’s integrity and professionalism.
“I take this opportunity to issue a stern warning to individuals who exploit 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 reassures 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 aid in eradicating this illicit practice.
