Lagos CP Nabs Police, FRSC, LASTMA Officers At Extortion Base.
Lagos CP Nabs Police, FRSC, LASTMA Officers At Extortion Base.
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Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), Idowu Owohunwa, at the weekend, arrested 16 persons, including a police officer, officials of the state’s Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for colluding with touts to extort motorists.
The suspects were arrested following a covert operation at the Mile 2 area of the state. Police sources said the operation was predicated on repeated reports of extortion from victims.
According to the source, the CP team went to Mile 2 that is famous for extortion spree, and arrested some suspects, whose confessions led to the arrest of the security agents.
Meanwhile, the police boss has assured that such an operation would be sustained and would be carried out at various hotspots across the state until sanity is restored.
He warned that the enforcement team would arrest any security agent found culpable irrespective of rank, and such a person would be dealt with in accordance with extant laws.
Reacting, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, said: “It was the determination of the CP to checkmate growing cases of extortion on the highway that made him set up an enforcement team with the mandate to constantly raid hotspots that had been notorious for unprofessional activities.
“The enforcement team is headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations (DCP Ops), and it comprises tactical teams and provost officers from the state Command.
“The team was at Mile 2 area of the state, a hotbed for extortionists. A total of 14 thugs were arrested in the act, while three police officers, one FRSC, and one LASTMA personnel were also arrested for colluding with the touts.“The CP has promised Lagosians, especially motorists, that the newly set-up enforcement team would sustain the raids and definitely replicate them in other parts of the state where the same issues exist until total sanity is restored.”
