- For impersonating one of its officers and extorting ₦7,800 from a motorist
- Contacted LASTMA through its toll-free hotline to verify the officer’s identity
- Lagos residents to be alert and report suspicious enforcement activities
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has arrested a 47-year-old man, Mr. Adetayo Adewodun, for impersonating one of its officers and extorting ₦7,800 from a motorist at Itire Junction in Lagos.
The agency disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that according to the statement, the suspect stopped a motorist, Mr. Ayano Stephen, who was driving a white Hilux vehicle belonging to a construction company, and accused him of making an illegal turn.
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Adewodun, pretending to be a LASTMA officer, demanded ₦80,000 as a penalty but later collected ₦7,800 from the driver.
The motorist, sensing foul play, contacted LASTMA through its toll-free hotline to verify the officer’s identity. Acting on the report, the agency’s Surveillance and Intelligence Unit, under the directive of General Manager Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, moved swiftly to the scene, arrested the suspect, and took him to the Oshodi headquarters for interrogation.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Adewodun was part of a three-man gang that posed as LASTMA officials to extort unsuspecting motorists around the Itire axis. He confessed that the group made about ₦65,000 daily from the illegal activity.
General Manager Bakare-Oki commended the driver for his vigilance, describing his action as a patriotic act that aided law enforcement. He reiterated LASTMA’s commitment to transparency, professionalism, and zero tolerance for extortion.
He urged Lagos residents to be alert and report suspicious enforcement activities through the agency’s verified hotlines. Bakare-Oki assured that genuine LASTMA officials always wear official uniforms and display identification tags.
He stated that the suspect would be arraigned before a Mobile Court to serve as a deterrent to others, reaffirming LASTMA’s resolve to maintain discipline, order, and safety on Lagos roads.
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