OPERATIVES of the Lagos State Taskforce have arrested two suspected street urchins, popularly known as Omotaku, along the Oshodi–Agunlejika–Apapa Expressway for allegedly extorting motorists.
The suspects, AbiodunAjasa, 44, of No. 18 Jimoh Meji Street, off Agunlejika Street, and JunaidFolami of No. 12 Agunlejika Street, Itire-Ikate, were alleged to have targeted motorists whose vehicles developed mechanical faults, demanding money before allowing them to continue their journey.
Their arrest followed a tip-off from a civil society group, ICU – To Save A Soul. Acting on the intelligence, taskforce operatives apprehended the duo while they were allegedly attempting to extort a motorist. The suspects initially claimed to be a bystander and a revenue collector, respectively, but investigations later linked them to a group accused of illegal revenue collection activities.
Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP AdetayoAkerele, said the suspects had been on the agency’s watchlist following numerous public complaints about a syndicate allegedly involved in unlawfully arresting motorists and negotiating financial settlements for the release of their vehicles.
“I receive numerous calls and online complaints from residents who report that these individuals operate deceptively and appear legitimate, making them difficult to apprehend,” he said.
During interrogation, Ajasa reportedly confessed that their targets were vehicles transporting goods from Apapa Port that broke down along the expressway. He said they approached such motorists under the guise of revenue collectors, claiming to protect them from rival groups, before threatening vehicle impoundment unless certain sums were paid.
The second suspect was said to have admitted that his role involved preventing drivers from accessing their vehicles in order to create fear and compel them into negotiations.
Akerele assured the public that the suspects would be prosecuted in accordance with the law, urging residents to continue reporting suspicious activities to security agencies for prompt action.
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