Police Arrest Three for Extortion, Illegal Revenue Collection in Lagos

Police operatives attached to the Zone 2 Police Command wednesday said it arrested three suspects operating at Berger, at the boundary between Lagos and Ogun States, for extortion and illegal revenue collection at the Lagos end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Their arrest was effected based on incessant complains of transporters, their unions and associations, hence the arrest of the trio of Ajala Kabiru, Olasukanmi Popoola and Kazeem Hassan. Confirming the arrests, the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the arrests were in line with the directives of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2 Command, AIG Abdulmajid Ali.

He said: “In line with the effort of the AIG Zone 2 Command, AIG Abdulmajid Ali, to curb touting, extortion and illegal revenue collection on the major highways within the zone, the zonal command has arrested three suspects at Berger Area. They were arrested at the boundary between Lagos and Ogun States, on Saturday, for extortion and illegal revenue collection at the Lagos end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The zonal command had received series of petitions and complaints from various transport associations/unions about the illegal toll or revenue collections and even extortion by some touts or hoodlums,who disguise as government agents/officials, along highways within the zone particularly on Lagos-Ibadan, Sagamu-Ijebu Ode-Benin Expressways and at various points in Lagos and Ogun States In response to people’s complaints and intelligence reports, the AIG directed police operatives attached to the Zonal Department of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence (ZCIID) to curb such illegal activities and apprehend anyone or group of persons engaging in such criminal acts on our highways. Ali has also challenged government revenue agencies(agents) and departments to always issue marks of identification or personal identity cards to their staff or operatives for easy identification so as to assist the police and other security operatives in the course of their duties of law enforcement and maintenance of law and order.”