THE Lagos State Government has urged residents to always report suspected enforcement impostors to the authorities.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, said on Friday that functionaries of the ministry had apprehended three such individuals.
Durosinmi-Etti said that the individuals impersonated and posed as officials of the Ministry of Environment, in order to extort unsuspecting residents.
“Messers Olusegun Wasiu, Shina Ahmed and Muyiwa Olusegun were apprehended by the Enforcement and Advocacy Team of the ministry in an attempt to extort money from developers in the Lekki-Ajah area of the state,’’ he said.
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The commissioner urged Lagosians to be wary of individuals who usually deceived people using fake identification cards.
He said that such people do not represent the state government and stiff penalties awaited such impostors when caught.
Durosinmi-Etti hinted that state officials, particularly the ministry of environment officers, usually operated in groups.
He said that they were always accompanied by men of the Nigerian Police Force, anytime they engaged in enforcement duties.
Durosinmi-Etti implored the people to always validate any notice issued from the Ministry if they were in doubt of such notice.
He said that Lagosians should feel free to report suspected impostors to the ministry or the nearest police station.
The commissioner said that no individual or groups would be allowed to hide under the state government’s resolve to maintain zero tolerance for all forms of environmental abuse and extort the people.
“Anyone caught impersonating government officials will be dealt with, in accordance with the law,’’ he said.
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