Fake LASTMA officer remanded after extorting a motorist in Lagos. The suspect faces charges of impersonation and conduct likely to breach the peace

Fake LASTMA officer remanded A Mobile Magistrate Court sitting in the Oshodi area of Lagos State has ordered the remand of a suspect, Adetayo Adewodun, for allegedly impersonating officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and committing an act likely to cause a breach of peace.

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The 47-year-old suspect was earlier apprehended for posing as a LASTMA operative and fraudulently extorting ₦7,800 from an unsuspecting motorist at Itire Junction.

According to LASTMA spokesperson Adebayo Taofiq, the arrest followed a report that Adewodun demanded ₦80,000 from the driver of a white Hilux vehicle belonging to a construction firm under the guise of a traffic fine.

Following his arraignment before the Mobile Magistrate Court, Adewodun pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of impersonation and conduct likely to breach the peace.

The court consequently ordered his remand in a correctional facility pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

Taofiq confirmed that the matter has been adjourned for further hearing, stressing that the Lagos State Government remains committed to curbing fraudulent acts on the city’s roads.

Reacting to the court proceedings, LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki vowed that justice would be served, describing the prosecution as a powerful deterrent to others who impersonate traffic officers to defraud motorists.

He reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to maintaining order, discipline, and transparency across Lagos roads, assuring the public of protection against fraudulent exploitation.

Incidents of impersonation have continued to plague Lagos in recent years. In March 2023, a man posing as a LASTMA officer was sentenced to two years in prison, while another fake traffic official was arrested in August 2023 for illegally towing a vehicle.

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These cases underline the ongoing efforts by law enforcement and the courts to preserve public trust in Lagos’s traffic management system.