I made N250,000 weekly from traffic offenders — LASTMA impersonator

A suspected serial impersonator of the operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Femi Adegbemi, has confessed how he made at least N250,000 (Two hundred and fifty thousand naira) weekly from traffic offenders in Lagos State. 

Tribune Online gathered that the suspect is in the habit of loitering around LASTMA offices and defrauding traffic offenders, whose vehicles were impounded for different traffic offenses.

The 56-year-old suspect had reportedly collected N140, 000 (one hundred and forty thousand naira) from an unnamed traffic offender when he was arrested. 

The spokesperson of the traffic agency, Adebayo Taofik, confirmed the arrest of the suspect in a statement signed by him on Tuesday 

The LASTMA spokesperson said, “Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) today apprehended a serial impersonator after collecting N140,000 from  owners of vehicles impounded for traffic infractions by the Agency.” 

He also added that the suspect was apprehended by the Monitoring and Surveillance team of the agency in Oshodi.

“The suspect was apprehended after the agency received complaints of extortions from owners of inter-state commercial buses, impounded and ticketed for traffic infractions around Moshalasi by Alaka area of Surulere. 

“Investigations conducted revealed that the arrested suspect (Femi Adegbemi) has been collecting huge amounts of money from innocent owners of vehicles impounded by Lastma Officials during enforcement operations.” 

LASTMA added that “The arrested suspect collected N140,000 from owners/drivers by promising to help them get their impounded vehicles released from the custody of Agency.

“It is disheartening getting complaints from road users particularly owners of impounded vehicles on activities of these unscrupulous elements these unscrupulous elements impersonating and extorting money from different owners of impounded vehicles thereby tarnishing the good image of the Agency before the public,” LASTMA stated.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Bakare-Oki Olalekan, warned the general public to be wary of these unscrupulous elements stating that the agency operates a cashless policy as any violators apprehended are charged to Court via a ‘Referral Notice’ issued to them.

He confirmed that more Surveillance/Monitoring personnel have been strategically deployed to hunt for these unscrupulous elements duping innocent motoring public across the State. 

According to LASTMA, “The arrested suspect  confessed to have collected N140,000 from owners of these impounded inter-state commercial vehicles. ” 

The suspect, a resident of  9, Anifowose Street, Somolu confessed to be making an average of N250,000 on a weekly basis from the illegal deal with his other colleagues.

Meanwhile, the Director, Legal Department of LASTMA, Barr. Akerele Kehinde, disclosed that the arrested suspect would be immediately charged to court to serve as deterrent to others.