A fake LASTMA officer who is reported to be making a minimum of N40,000 per day and a member of a syndicate, has been arrested in the Lekki area of Lagos state, authorities of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority report in a statement.
According to the Lagos state traffic management, the alleged fake LASTMA officer was arrested on Wednesday, 14th of December, 2022.
The Director, of the Public Affairs Department of LASTMA Mr. Adebayo Taofiq in a statement released on Thursday 15th December 2022, and quoting the General Manager Mr. Bolaji Oreagba confirmed that the suspected was nabbed by a Lastma patrol team while on duty monitoring & controlling traffic around the Lekki axis.
Preliminary investigations conducted by the Agency revealed that the arrested fake LASTMA officer, belonged to a criminal gang and they have been extorting huge sums of money from innocent motorists apprehended for various traffic offences ranging from seat-belt, obstructions, illegal over-taking and One-way at different locations across the State.
According to Mr. Oreagba “the suspect was apprehended after our patrol team sighted him fully kitted with a LASTMA uniform on black jeans collecting money from different commercial bus drivers who were illegally dropping and picking passengers under the Lekki bridge.
“It is disheartening for some unscrupulous elements impersonating as LASTMA Officials and extorting money from innocent motorists thereby denting the good image of the Agency before the public.” Mr.Oreagba urged motorists to be wary of fake officers demanding money from them stating that the Agency operates a cashless policy as any violators apprehended are charged to court with a ‘Referral Notice’.
He however warned those impersonators to desist from such illegal acts as more surveillance personnel have been deployed to strategic locations to hunt for those extorting innocent motorists under the pretext of the Agency.
The fake LASTMA officer
The arrested fake LASTMA officer identified as Mr. David Oluchkwu (27yrs) confessed to having been impersonating a LASTMA official and extorting money from different motorists, particularly commercial bus drivers apprehended for violating traffic laws across the State.
Mr. Oluchkwu who hailed from ‘Ukpu’ in Anambra State confessed further to be making an average of N40,000 every day from the illegal traffic business.
“Any motorists I caught driving against traffic (One-way) paid a minimum of N50,000 while other traffic violators were charged with different fines,” the suspect was quoted to have said.
The suspect with no fixed address however appealed to the government to temper justice with mercy. Meanwhile, the Director, Legal Department (LASTMA) Barr. Akerele Kehinde disclosed that the arrested suspect would be charged to court today(Thursday, 15th of December, 2022) in accordance with the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State.