The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has apprehended a 47-year-old man for allegedly impersonating one of its officials and extorting ₦7,800 from a motorist.
Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager of LASTMA, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.
Bakare-Oki said the suspect was arrested on Tuesday near the Itire Junction area of the state.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, pretending to be a LASTMA operative, stopped one Mr Stephen Ayano and demanded ₦80,000 from him for allegedly making an unlawful turn at the junction.
“The suspect told his victim that the amount was the penalty for the traffic violation. Unable to meet the outrageous demand, the victim pleaded and eventually parted with the ₦7,800 he had in his possession, which he handed to the fake officer,” he said.
The LASTMA general manager noted that the victim later became suspicious of the suspect’s behaviour and promptly contacted the agency through its toll-free hotline to verify the authenticity of the alleged officer.
He explained that LASTMA’s Surveillance and Intelligence Unit was immediately deployed to the scene following the report.
“On sighting the approaching enforcement team, the suspect attempted to flee but was pursued, apprehended, and taken to the LASTMA headquarters for interrogation,” he added.
During questioning, the suspect allegedly confessed to being part of a three-man criminal syndicate that routinely posed as LASTMA personnel around the Itire axis, operating across several road intersections and making an average of ₦65,000 daily.
Bakare-Oki commended the victim’s vigilance and timely report, describing it as an act of civic responsibility.
He reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to integrity, professionalism, and transparency in its traffic management operations, reiterating the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on impersonation and fraud.
He further emphasised that genuine LASTMA officers are easily identifiable by their official uniforms, name tags, and unique service identification numbers.
“I can assure the public that the suspect will be arraigned before a Mobile Court. This will serve as a deterrent to other unscrupulous elements who habitually disguise as LASTMA officials to extort innocent members of the public,” he said.
(NAN)