The Magistrate Court sitting in Oshodi axis of Lagos State has sentenced six miscreants to one-month imprisonment for imposing N100 levy on traders and other residents using the pedestrian bridge.
The six thugs, who were apprehended by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), were found guilty for extorting traders and residents using a pedestrian bridge in the Yaba area of the state.
They were convicted by Magistrate Oshikoya on Thursday on two count charges bordering on Breach of public peace and illegal collection of money from people with goods.
The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who disclosed this through his social media handle, stated that they were sentenced after they admitted guilty to the offense read to them.
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According to him, “As a follow-up to the arrests made of miscreants extorting traders on the pedestrian bridge across Lagos, the magistrate court sitting in Oshodi convicted the defendants for Breach of Public Peace and illegal collection of money from people with goods. Magistrate Oshikoya sentenced the defendants to 1 month in prison”.
The Commissioner noted that efforts were ongoing to apprehend others engaging in the act.
Wahab noted that the arrest was made in response to a viral video where the suspects were seen carrying out the act.
Earlier, he noted that they were arrested in batches imposing N100 levy on each pedestrian with luggage.
He wrote, “In response to the viral video of some miscreants extorting traders and other Lagosians on a pedestrian bridge in Yaba, I instructed the Corps Marshal of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial to immediately arrest the persons and the officer involved.
“They will be arraigned immediately in court while the clampdown on those on the run would continue.”
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