Traffic Offence: Lagos State Govt Arrests Three Suspects For Extorting Motorists
LAGOS JUNE 3RD (NEWSRANGERS)-Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) has arrested three suspects posing as Local Government Traffic officers for extorting motorists in Oshodi.
The suspects, who claimed they are working with Oshodi – Isolo Local Government, Oshodi were arrested yesterday afternoon on the orders of the Chairman, Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit, CSP Shola Jejeloye after receiving complaints from some of their victims.
The suspects arrested include: Samuel Oyegbule (52), Olayiwola Thomas (53) and Kola Taiwo (47).
The suspect had yesterday extorted N25,000:00 from one of their victims for obstruction. Another victim equally alleged he was extorted of the same amount the previous day.
According to the first victim who does not want his name mentioned in the press, ‘they walked up to my vehicle while waiting for traffic light in Oyetayo Street. They knocked on my side glass and I wound down to listen to them. They said I have committed a traffic offence and I was forced to Oshodi – Isolo Local Government Secretariat, Oshodi, where I was made to cough up N25,000 as fine”.
The second victim, a bolt driver, said “I was arrested for dropping my client in front of his house in the inner street of Oshodi. It wasn’t a major road or expressway or where there are bus stops. They refused to listen to my explanation. They fined me N25,000.
A Lagos journalist Dipo Kahinde said, “I recognise these guys. They pounced on my car last Friday and thoroughly embarrassed me. One wrestled the key from me, another attempted to yank off my number plate. They said I committed traffic offence and demanded for 95k in a most militant manner. I called the Taskforce Chairman, but there was no response.
“When the situation was getting out of hand, I had to speak in a language they understood, told them I was once an Oshodi boy, who had attended Ikeja Grammar School in the vicinity. One of them began to calm the others down, and they settled for 5k. I paid because I just needed to get out of that environment fast.”
The victims alleged that the suspects select vehicles they know can pay their charges before arresting them in trumped charges and forcing them to Local Government headquarters to make payment.
“They also brought into the same place several other vehicles arrested in the same manner like mine and they were made to pay as well as. Some of them were made to pay a higher amount”, one of the victims added.
Warning other touts and persons who illegally issue tickets to motorists on public roads and streets, CSP Jejeloye noted that Taskforce would continue with the arrest of miscreants posing as council officials to extort road users.
“I have received a lot of complaints and we have taken time to analyse them. We have made our findings too. Lagos State Government would not tolerate such excesses”, he added.
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