A 45-year-old father of three identified as Adewunmi Taiwo has allegedly confessed to making between N15,000 and N25,000 daily while falsely posing as an official of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Oshodi bridge.
The LASTMA General Manager, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, revealed this while confirming the arrest of the impostor in a statement on Friday in Lagos.
Bakare-Oki said the man was caught and detained after an operation was conducted.
The statement was signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA.
He said the man 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, Taiwo utilise 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,” he said.
Bakare-Oki said during interrogation, Taiwo, who claimed to hail from Ilesha in Osun State and married with three children, confessed to misusing the uniform to extort unwitting motorists.
He added that he targeted high-traffic routes along Ikorodu Road, the Oshodi to Mile 2 Expressway and admitted to generating between N15,000 and N25,000 daily from these unauthorised activities.
Bakare-Oki noted 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 mobilised to investigate and subsequently apprehend the suspect.
“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,” he said.
He 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 hotline (080000527862) to aid in eradicating this illicit practice,” he said. (NAN)
