The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has arrested a 47-year-old man for allegedly impersonating one of its officials and extorting ₦7,800 from an unsuspecting motorist.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to him, the suspect was apprehended on Tuesday around the Itire Junction area after he posed as a LASTMA operative and extorted money from Mr. Stephen Ayano, a motorist accused of making an unlawful turn.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect demanded ₦80,000 as a penalty for the alleged traffic offence,” Bakare-Oki said.
“When the victim pleaded inability to pay, he gave the fake officer the ₦7,800 cash he had on him.”
Bakare-Oki explained that the motorist later became suspicious of the man’s conduct and contacted LASTMA through its toll-free hotline — 0800-00-LASTMA (0800-005-27862) — to confirm the officer’s authenticity.
Following the report, officers from the agency’s Surveillance and Intelligence Unit were deployed to the area. The suspect attempted to flee upon sighting them but was pursued, apprehended, and taken to the LASTMA headquarters for interrogation.
“During questioning, the suspect confessed to belonging to a three-man criminal syndicate that regularly posed as LASTMA officials around the Itire axis,” Bakare-Oki revealed.
“He further admitted that the gang operates across several road intersections and makes an average of ₦65,000 daily.”
The LASTMA boss commended the motorist for promptly reporting the incident, describing the act as a commendable display of civic responsibility.
He reiterated the agency’s zero-tolerance policy towards impersonation and corruption, emphasising that genuine LASTMA officers can be easily identified by their official uniforms, name tags, and service identification numbers.
“The suspect will be charged before a mobile court to serve as a deterrent to others who impersonate LASTMA officials to defraud the public,” Bakare-Oki stated.