………recovers LASTMA uniform and other kits, launches a manhunt for others in the act.
Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Wednesday, 14th of December, 2022 nabbed a fake Lastma traffic officer around the Lekki area of Lagos.
In a Press Statement released by the Director, of the Public Affairs Department of LASTMA, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq quoted the General Manager Mr. Bolaji Oreagba confirming that the suspect was nabbed by a Lastma patrol team while on duty monitoring and controlling traffic around the Lekki axis.
Preliminary investigations conducted by the Agency revealed that the arrested suspect belonged to a criminal gang and they have been extorting huge sums of money from innocent motorists apprehended for various traffic offences ranging from seat-belt, obstructions, illegal over-taking and One-way at different locations across the State.
According to Mr. Oreagba, “the suspect was apprehended after our patrol team sighted him fully kitted with a LASTMA uniform on a black jean 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 LASTMA Officials and extorting money from innocent motorists thereby denting the good image of the Agency before the public”
Mr. 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 however warned those 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 arrested suspect Mr. David Oluchkwu 27-year-old confessed to having been impersonating a LASTMA official and extorting money from different motorists, particularly commercial bus drivers apprehended for violating traffic laws across the State.
Mr. Oluchkwu who hailed from ‘Ukpu’ in Anambra State confessed further to making an average of forty thousand naira every day from the illegal traffic business.
“Any motorists I caught driving against traffic (One-way) paid a minimum of fifty thousand naira 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.
Meanwhile, the Director, of the Legal Department (LASTMA) Barr. Akerele Kehinde disclosed that the arrested suspect was charged to court on Thursday, 15th of December, 2022 by the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State.
