LASTMA WARNS RUTHLESSLY AGAINST IMPERSONATORS AS FAKE OFFICER ARRESTED IN ITIRE EXTORTING MOTORIST

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki,

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has issued a stern warning to criminal elements posing as its officials after arresting a 47-year-old man who extorted ₦7,800 from an unsuspecting motorist near Itire Junction.

In a statement on Wednesday, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said the suspect, who paraded himself as a LASTMA operative, was caught red-handed after demanding ₦80,000 from a motorist, Mr. Stephen Ayano, for allegedly making an illegal turn. When the victim couldn’t pay the hefty sum, the impostor accepted ₦7,800 and fled.

However, the motorist, sensing foul play, quickly contacted LASTMA’s toll-free hotline to verify the officer’s identity. Acting on the report, the agency’s Surveillance and Intelligence Unit launched a swift operation that led to the suspect’s arrest.

Bakare-Oki revealed that the man confessed to belonging to a three-man syndicate that routinely disguises as LASTMA officers to extort road users—raking in an average of ₦65,000 daily.

Condemning the act, Bakare-Oki praised the victim’s vigilance and reiterated LASTMA’s zero-tolerance policy towards impersonation and fraud. He warned that genuine officers can be easily identified by their official uniforms, name tags, and service ID numbers, urging the public to remain alert and always verify suspicious individuals.

“The suspect will face the full weight of the law in a Mobile Court. This should serve as a strong warning to others who think they can tarnish LASTMA’s image or prey on innocent motorists,” Bakare-Oki declared.

The agency emphasized that it would continue to clamp down on impersonators, citing a growing trend of fake officers extorting motorists across Lagos. In previous arrests, several impostors have been prosecuted—some earning as much as ₦250,000 weekly through illegal operations.

LASTMA therefore warns: anyone caught impersonating its officials will not only be arrested but also prosecuted and jailed to serve as a deterrent to others.