………recover fake identity card and reflective jacket.
……The agency launches the persecution of others in the acts Lagos State Traffic Management
Authority (LASTMA) officials caught another batch of fake traffic cops in the Ikoyi area of Lagos over the weekend.
In a press statement released by Director of Public Affairs Department of LASTMA, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, citing Director-General, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba, confirmed that the suspect at Olu Holloway Road in Alfred Rewane area of Ikoyi was killed by a Lastma surveillance -/Surveillance Team was caught by Mr. Ashafa Moyosore (Zone Head). Mr. Oreagba further confirmed that the Agency had carried out special surveillance/surveillance operations on the suspect and arrested him in response to complaints from motorists (Obinna Kingsley & Adewusi Adebola) through Lastma hotlines/social media. The investigation revealed that the arrested suspect extorted large sums of money from drivers for various traffic offenses such as wearing seat belts, obstruction, illegal overtaking and One-way at different points around Lagos Island.”It is discouraging to receive complaints from road users, especially motorists, about the activities of these unscrupulous elements who impersonate them and extort money from them” Mr Oreagba urged the public to be wary of these fake traffic officers, noting that the Agency has a cashless policy, as any violators caught are charged to the Court with a “Notice of Dispatch” issued to them.
“Let me warn the motoring public to desists from inducing traffic officers in any form (money) as both the giver and taker are liable before the law” However, the CEO warned other impersonators masquerading as Lastma employees to refrain from such illegal activities immediately as more surveillance personnel were strategically deployed to hunt them.
The arrested suspect, Mr. Omotutu Bamidele (55 years old) confessed to impersonating the reflective jacket as a Lastma officer and extorting money from motorists, especially private car owners/drivers in high brow areas across the State. Mr. Bamidele, who confirmed that he was living with his younger brother inside one of the army barracks in Lagos, further confessed to having operated in the areas of Ikoyi, Obalende, Apongbon Bridge, Iporin, Olowu, stopping commercial and private vehicles for various reasons traffic violations, including driving. against traffic (one way).
The suspect, who hails from “Atijere Town” in Ondo Province, said that he and his colleagues earned an average of N 35,000 per day from extortion.
“Any drivers, especially private car owners, caught dropping someone at any undesignated bus stop paid between N15,000 and N20,000 while those caught driving against (One-way) traffic paid at least N35,000”.
One Mr. Adewusi Adebola (a whistleblower) confirmed that the suspect (Omotutu Bamidele) stopped him for ‘obstruction’ on 6 March 2023 around the Spac bus stand on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi and charged him 20,000 naira for dropping his colleagues.
While Obinna Kingsley was complaining via one of Lastma’s social media accounts (Twitter) that he was forced to pay N50,000 to the arrested suspect (Omotutu Bamidele) for “obstructing” on Awolowo Road at Obalende Bridge towards Tafawa Balewa Square (T.B.S.).
According to Mr. Adevusi Adebola, Owner of Toyota Corolla (LSR 299 AY): “Honestly, I wrote a series of negative stories about Lastma’s activities on social media, especially on Twitter, because there were unpleasant incidents until I got a call from Lastma management that the person I reported extorting money from me was a fake traffic police officer and that he was arrested.”
At the same time, the director of the legal department (Sor Sor Chor.) Akerele Kehinde revealed that the arrested suspect will be charged in court on Monday, March 27, 2023 and all his belongings (fake ID and reflective jacket) will be recovered under the Lagos State Penal Code.
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