LASTMA Nabs 55-Year Old Fake Traffic Officer

Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) over the weekend nabbed one Omotutu Bamidele, 55, a fake traffic officer impersonating the agency around Ikoyi area of Lagos.

The suspect who hails from Atijere town in Ondo State said he and his colleagues make an average of N35,000 from extorting motorists on daily basis.

Items recovered from him include fake identity card and a reflex jacket.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba said that the suspect was arrested at Olu Holloway Road by Alfred Rewane area of Ikoyi by a LASTMA Monitoring and Surveillance team.

According to Oreagba, the Agency carried out a special monitoring and surveillance operations about the suspect and got him arrested in response to complaints from two motorists: Obinna Kingsley and Adewusi Adebola via LASTMA hotlines and social media handles.

Investigation conducted revealed that the suspect has been extorting motorists for various traffic offences ranging from seat-belt, obstructions, illegal over-taking and one-way.

Adebola complained that the suspect apprehended him for obstruction on March March 6, 2023 around Spac bus stop by Awolowo Road, Ikoyi and collected N20,000 from him. While Kingsley complained that he was forced to transfer N50,000 to the suspect for similar offence (Obstruction) on Awolowo Road by Obalende Bridge towards Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).

“It is disheartening getting complaints from road users particularly motorists on activities of these unscrupulous elements impersonating and extorting money from them,” a statement by the Director, Public Affairs Department of LASTMA Adebayo Taofiq quoted LASTMA boss, Oreagba as saying.

The suspect, Bamidele, also confessed to have operated around Ikoyi, Obalende, Apongbon Bridge, Iporin, Olowu areas; apprehending and extorting both commercial and private cars for various traffic offences.

“Any motorists particularly private car owners i caught dropping someone at any undesignated bus stop paid between N15,000 to N20,000 while those caught for driving against traffic (One-way) paid a minimum of N35,000,” the suspect confessed.

Meanwhile, the Director, Legal Department (LASTMA), Barr. Akerele Kehinde, has said the suspect would be charged to court on Monday in accordance with the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State.

THE WHISTLER recalls that in December 2022, one David Oluchkwu (27yrs), a fake traffic officer, was arrested around the Lekki area of the state.

The suspect who bagged four-month jail term one week after, confessed that he was making an average of N40,000 daily from extorting motorists.