The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit Taskforce, has arrested two individuals for impersonating its officials and illegally extorting motorists.
In a separate operation, the agency also impounded 69 commercial motorcycles in a renewed enforcement exercise.
The two suspects, Paul Anthony, 42 and Mukaila Adepo, 31, were apprehended at the Oshodi Bus stop along the Bolade-Iyana Ipaja Expressway.
They were caught by plain-cloth officers while allegedly terrorising motorists by falsely accusing them of traffic offenses. Both suspects have been remanded in a correctional facility pending further legal proceedings.
Reacting to the arrest, the chairman of the Taskforce, CSP Adetayo Akerele, vowed to prosecute all impersonators who are tarnishing the agency’s name.
He stated that the taskforce is determined to “restore sanity and public trust” by ridding highways of fake officials. He also appealed to the public to report any suspicious activity to aid the fight against such criminality.
In a related development, the taskforce also carried out an enforcement operation to clear commercial motorcycles, known as “okadas,” from restricted highways and routes.
The operation, which focused on areas including Mile 2 Bridge, Agboju, and Apple Junction in Festac, resulted in the impounding of 69 motorcycles.
All impounded motorcycles are set to be forfeited to the state in line with the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018.