Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have apprehended a fake traffic officer around the Lekki area of Lagos State.
A press statement released by the Director of the Public Affairs Department, Mr. Taofik Adebayo, said the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba confirmed that the suspect was apprehended by the agency’s patrol team while on duty monitoring and controlling traffic around the axis.
He disclosed that investigations conducted by the agency revealed that the arrested suspect belonged to a criminal gang extorting money from innocent motorists arrested for various traffic offenses ranging from seat-belt, obstructions, illegal over-taking, and one-way at different locations across the State.
“The suspect was apprehended after our patrol team sighted him fully kitted with a LASTMA uniform on black jeans collecting money from different commercial bus drivers who were illegally dropping and picking passengers under the Lekki bridge”
“It is disheartening for some unscrupulous elements impersonating our officials and extorting money from innocent motorists thereby denting the good image of the Agency before the public” he averred.
Oreagba urged motorists to be wary of fake officers demanding money from them stating that the Agency operates a cashless policy as any violators apprehended are charged to court with a ‘Referral Notice’
He warned impersonators to desist from such illegal acts as more surveillance personnel have been deployed to strategic locations to hunt for those extorting innocent motorists under the pretext of the agency.
The apprehended suspect Mr. David Oluchkwu (27yrs) confessed to having been impersonating the agency officials and extorting money from different motorists, particularly commercial bus drivers caught for violating traffic laws across the State.
Oluchkwu confessed that he made an average of N50,000 every day from the illegal traffic business, he added that ” any motorists I caught driving against traffic (One-way) paid a minimum of N50,000 while other traffic violators were charged with different fines”
The suspect with no fixed address, however, appealed to the government to temper justice with mercy.
The Director, Legal Department, LASTMA, Barr. Akerele Kehinde said the arrested suspect would be charged by the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State.
