The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Lagos State Police Command have started investigations into the alleged extortion of motorists in the Berger-Isheri area of the state.
It was gathered that the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, had summoned the divisional police officers in other areas where some motorists alleged extortion rates were high.
The development followed an investigation by The Punch on a suspected syndicate made up of policemen and LASTMA officers in the Berger-Isheri area.
A correspondent, who disguised as a hawker and sold popcorn and face masks in traffic, observed for four hours as the group exploited motorists seeking to connect from the Berger-Isheri Road to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The reporter noted that the green arrow of the old traffic light ran for about 20 seconds before indicating the amber and the red light.
Motorists, who left the waiting lane between 17th and 19th seconds, when the green light was still on, were arrested as soon as they got to the road linking the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The correspondent also observed as the LASTMA officers and policemen stopped motorists and pointed their attention to the traffic light, which by then had turned red.
It was noted that the motorists were stopped on the instruction of a pot-bellied man in mufti, who entered their vehicles.
The dark-complexion man, with two others also in mufti, entered at least two Toyota Camry cars and did not alight until after a stop at a Point-of-Sale terminal shop.
While the investigation lasted, our correspondent noticed coordination among the uniformed officers, numbering seven, as motorists were extorted.
Some Nigerians, who read the report on Tuesday, took to different social media platforms to share their ordeals in other parts of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officers, Benjamin Hundeyin, said that the command had commenced investigation into the matter.
“We are taking steps to make sure this kind of thing stops,” he added.
A source at the command headquarters said that the state Commissioner of Police, Alabi, was angry at the conduct of the policemen.
The source noted that all the DPOs in the other areas had been summoned for a meeting.
According to the source, “The report has spurred the command to action, and the CP has ordered that the names of the places mentioned in the story be listed and the DPOs in those areas summoned to his office.”
Some of the spots mentioned by readers are Iyana Ipaja Motor Park; Apple Junction, Amuwo Odofin; Ikeja Underbrige inward Maryland by LASUTH; Allen Roundabout, Ikeja; Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere; Ajao Estate, via Osolo; Ajah Traffic Light, Lekki-Epe Expressway; FESTAC Town by First Gate, among others.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, when contacted on the phone, said he had ordered an independent investigation into the report.
He said, “We have begun our own covert investigation into the matter. It started today (Wednesday) and it will take days to conclude our findings.”
Meanwhile, checks on Tuesday and Wednesday revealed that the cops and LASTMA officers sighted by the correspondent during the investigation were no longer at the location.
However, a few LASTMA officers were seen inside the traffic warden box.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, said experts had been consulted to check “complaints people have about the traffic light” in the community.
On the traffic cameras the government announced in January 2021 to catch traffic offenders, Omotosho said the gadgets were only in few places, adding that efforts were on to deploy them across the state.
