LASTMA Nabs Fake Traffic Officer in Ikoyi

Rebecca Ejifoma

Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) over the weekend nabbed a serial fake traffic officer around the Ikoyi area of the state.

This was announced in a press statement by the Director of the Public Affairs Department of LASTMA, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq.

In the statement, the General Manager, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba confirmed that the suspect was caught at Olu Holloway Road in the Alfred Rewane area of Ikoyi by a LASTMA Monitoring/Surveillance team led by the Zonal Head, Mr. Ashafa Moyosore.

Oreagba said that the agency carried out special monitoring/Surveillance operations about the suspect and got him arrested in response to complaints from the motoring public via LASTMA hotlines/social media handles.

An investigation conducted revealed that the arrested suspect had been extorting motorists of huge sums of money for various traffic offences ranging from seat-belt, obstructions, illegal over-taking and one-way at different locations around Lagos Island.

“It is disheartening getting complaints from road users, particularly motorists on activities of these unscrupulous elements impersonating and extorting money from them,” he added.

The GM therefore, urged the general public to be wary of fake traffic officers, stating that the agency operates a cashless policy as any violators apprehended are charged to court with a ‘Referral Notice’ issued to them.

“Let me warn the motoring public to desist from inducing traffic officers in any form (money) as both the giver and the taker are liable before the law,” he reiterated.

The GM, however, cautioned impersonators disguising as LASTMA personnel to immediately steer clear, as more surveillance personnel have been strategically deployed to hunt for them.

The arrested suspect, 55-year-old Omotutu Bamidele, was said to have confessed to having been masquerading with a reflective jacket as a LASTMA officer and extorting money from motorists, particularly private car owners and drivers in highbrow areas across the state.

According to the statement, the suspect has operated in areas including Ikoyi, Obalende, Apongbon Bridge, Iporin, and Olowu areas.

Bamidele also admitted that he and his colleagues made an average of N35,000 daily.

Any motorists particularly private car owners I caught dropping someone at any undesignated bus stop paid between N15,000 and N20,000 while those caught for driving against traffic paid a minimum of N35,000,” he added.

A complainant, Mr Adewusi Adebola confirmed that the suspect apprehended him for obstruction on March 6 this year around Spac bus stop by Awolowo Road, Ikoyi and collected N20,000 from him for dropping his colleagues.

Another complainant, Obinna Kingsley, narrated how he was compelled to transfer N50,000 to the arrested suspect for obstruction on Awolowo Road by Obalende Bridge towards Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).