MAN CAUGHT IMPERSONATING LASTMA OFFICER TO EXTORT MOTORISTS IN OSHODI
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As part of efforts to curb illegal activities of individuals impersonating its officers, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has caught one Mr. Adewunmi Taiwo, aged 45, impersonating an officer on Oshodi Bridge to extort and scam motorists.
The individual has, for long, been posing as an official of the Agency to intimidate and extort funds from both commercial and private motorists in the vicinity.
Operating a white Hiace Coaster Bus with the licence plate KJA 724 YJ, Mr. Taiwo usually harasses 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.
Mr. Taiwo confessed to abusing the uniform to extort unwary drivers during interrogation. He claimed to be from Ilesha, Osun State, and was married with three children. He targeted busy roads along Ikorodu Road and the Oshodi to Mile 2 expressway. He further acknowledged that he made between N15,000 and N25,000 per day from these illegal activities.
Speaking about the development, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager of LASTMA, affirmed that the Agency had been notified on several occasions of extortion connected to the Hiace Coaster Bus. In response, the Surveillance and Monitoring Unit of LASTMA was called in to look into the matter and eventually capture the suspect.
“We are unwavering in our commitment to uphold LASTMA’s integrity and professionalism, Let me use 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”, Bakare-Oki declared.
The public is reassured by LASTMA’s tenacious enforcement actions to protect Lagos State’s traffic management effectiveness. To help stop unlawful operations, the Agency encourages all drivers to report any suspicious activity by calling LASTMA’s toll-free hotlines (080000527862).
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