Eight LASTMA Officials Arrested for Collecting N7,200 Bribe

By Gboyega Akinsanmi

The Lagos State Government yesterday disclosed that eight of its Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) had been apprehended for allegedly collecting N7,200 bribe from a commercial bus operator.

Consequently, the state government added that the allegation brought against eight LASTMA officials had been referred to the Personnel Management Board (Discipline), which earn them outright dismissal if found guilty.

 

This was revealed in a statement LASTMA’s General Manager, Mr. Olawale Musa, issued yesterday, lamenting that the action of the suspects might create perception challenge for LASTMA and the state at large.

LASTMA had recently dismissed 20 officials for various corrupt practices and 15 others received letters of warning for various acts considered inimical to the agency and the state government.

As contained in the statement, LASTMA’s officials comprised Adebeshin Adeola, Davies Idowu, Folashade Abolade, Shittu Lanre, Akinkotu Olusoga, Olowu Said, Olaoye Peter and Adebola Said.

 

The statement said the duo of Adeshina and Davies had earlier arrested two Lagos painted commercial buses with registration numbers FKJ 770 XT and KRD 558 XM driven by one Olatunji Mayowa and Donatus Eze respectively at Abule Egba area of the state for seat belt violation.

The statement added that the action of the drivers violated the Lagos Road Traffic Law, 2012 and the buses were subsequently apprehended and taken to the Agege-Pen Cinema Office.

However, according to the statement, the matter took a new twist at the Agege Office when the officials in conjunction with the General Duty Officer demanded N7,200 from each of the bus drivers before the release of the vehicles.

It said the drivers “reported the case to LASTMA’s head office. The drivers were asked to giver marked currency to the officials. And the officials collected it. LASTMA’S Provost Marshal, Mr. Femi Ajibosho, organised and coordinated a successful sting operation leading to the arrest of the officials.

“The provost marshal arrived when Abolade was about collecting N7,200 from Donatus Eze, while the collected marked money of N7,200 of Olatunji Mayowa was found on her after search.”

At the same location, the statement said the members of LASTMA’s patrol team comprising of Shittu Lanre, Akinkotu Olusoga, Olowu Said, Olaoye Peter and Adebola Said arrested a vehicle for traffic law violation, thereby asking Abolade “to facilitate collection of bribe on their behalf from the alleged offender before the release of the vehicle.

“All the traffic officials involved in this shameful act have been released on bail, but are to face the full weight of the Lagos State Public Service Rules and Regulations,” the statement said.

Disturbed by the officials’ conduct, Musa, who is the agency’s general manager, said LASTMA “has set a standard for itself to become one of the most disciplined, credible and efficient traffic management institution in the sub-Saharan Africa.

“LASTMA under my watch will not tolerate any act of indiscipline and corruption capable of dragging the revered image of the agency and that of the state government to the mud.

“To this end, all the officials involved in the shameful act will be made to appear before the Personnel Management Board (Discipline) to defend their action in accordance with the relevant sections of the Public Service Rules.”

Musa said the action of the officials were disgraceful and did not represent the training and operational manual of LASTMA, adding that it did not justify the huge motivation and incentives the state government had invested in them for optimal performance.