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LASTMA officials arrested for corruption and extortion

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has arrested eight of its officials for corruption and extorting money from motorists. They are Adebeshin Adeola, Davies Idowu, Folashade Abolade, Shittu Lanre, Akinkotu Olusoga, Adebola Said, Oluwu Said and Olaoye Peter.

Adeshina and Davies had earlier arrested two commercial buses with the registration number FKJ 770 XT and KRD 558 XM which were driven by Olatunji Mayowa and Donatus Eze respectively on seat belt violation at the Abule Egba axis of Lagos.

Their buses were subsequently apprehended and taken to the Agency’s office in Agege-Pen Cinema. Things took a dramatic turn when the officials that arrested the violators collaborated with the General Duty Officer to demand the sum of N7,200 from the bus drivers each before their vehicles will be released.

The drivers, who were already informed and have listened to various programmes about the duties and responsibilities of the Agency and how they should deal with motorist, played according to script by marking the currencies they were to pay and informing the necessary authorities of the officials plan.

The Agency swung into action and an operation was led and coordinated by the Provost Marshal of the Agency, Mr Femi Ajibosho, who arrived at the office when Abolade was about collecting money from one of the drivers while Mayowa was searched and the marked money was found on her..

Correspondingly in the same location, a patrol team which comprises of Shittu Lanre, Akinkotu Olusoga, Olowu Said, Olaoye Peter and Adebola Said also arrested a vehicle for traffic laws violation and asked Abolade to facilitate collection of bribe on their behalf from the alleged offender before the release of the vehicle.

All the traffic officials involved in this act have been released on bail, but will face the full weight of the state Public Service Rules and Regulations, the Authority claims.

Earlier in May, the Agency dismissed 20 officials for various corrupt practices and 15 others received letters of warning for various acts considered inimical to the Agency and service of the Lagos State Government.

Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olawale Musa, said the agency has set a standard for itself to become one of the credible, disciplined and efficient traffic management institution in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

“LASTMA under my watch will not tolerate any act of indiscipline and corruption capable of dragging the revered image of the Agency and that of the State Government to the mud.

“To this end, all the officials involved in the shameful act will be made to appear before the Personnel Management Board (Discipline) to defend their action in accordance with the relevant sections of the Public Service Rules.” He said.

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