Bella Ifasola
LAGOS, Nigeria – A man has been arrested for disguising as a traffic warden in Nigeria’s southwestern Lagos state.
Adewunmi Taiwo, 45, was arrested by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), for impersonating an officer of the agency.
The suspect reportedly confessed how he made at least ₦750,000 in a month from unsuspecting motorists caught over traffic offences.
The suspect, who was arrested on a bridge in the Oshodi area of the state, in a sting operation, has since been detained for further action.
Taiwo had been posing as a LASTMA officer to intimidate and extort funds from both commercial and private motorists in the vicinity.
Addressing the incident, LASTMA General Manager Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki confirmed that the suspect had been operating a white Hiace Coaster Bus with the registration number KJA 724 YJ, utilizing it as a guise to harass drivers in the area.
Bakare-Oki, explained that, “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.”
During interrogation, Mr. Taiwo, who claimed to hail from Ilesha in Osun, another southwestern state, and married with three children, confessed to misusing the uniform to extort unwitting motorists, targeting high-traffic routes along Ikorodu Road and the Oshodi to Mile-2 Expressway, the LASTMA boss said.
“He further admitted to generating between ₦15,000 and ₦25,000 daily from these unauthorized activities.
“The agency had received multiple reports regarding extortion linked to this particular Hiace Coaster Bus. In response, LASTMA’s Surveillance and Monitoring Unit was mobilized to investigate and subsequently apprehend the suspect.
“We are unwavering in our commitment to uphold LASTMA’s integrity and professionalism.”
Bakare-Oki, therefore, warned individuals who exploit LASTMA’s identity for unlawful gains to desist forthwith as “any attempt to tarnish the agency’s reputation will be met with the full force of the law when caught. The suspect will be charged accordingly.”
He reassured the public of the agency’s vigilant enforcement efforts to safeguard the efficacy of traffic management in Lagos State.
Bakare-Oki, urged all motorists to report any suspicious activities via LASTMA’s toll-free hotlines (080000527862) to aid in eradicating illicit practice among officers of the agency for better service delivery.