Four policemen, three LASTMA officials arrested for extortion

Four policemen and three men of the Lagos state Traffic Managament Agency LASTMA, have been arrested for extortion.

Their arrest came after the attention of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, was today drawn to a publication on page 19 of The Nation Newspaper of 30th October, captioned "Police as cesspit of corruption".

The reporter drew attention to the underhand dealings of some policemen he ran into on his way to Festac town Lagos. He alleged that the men took him to First Gate of Festac Town which they have turned to an extortion point.

Sequel to the information gained from the publication, the CP directed the Area Commander in-charge of Area E, Festac, ACP Yusuf Ajape and the officer in charge of the Command X-Squad Section, SP Aliu Abubakar, to carry out a covert operation around the aforementioned location leading to the arrest of the following policemen and Lagos State Traffic Management Agency officials (LASTMA ):

1. Inspector Charles Omokaro

2. Inspector Idara Akai

3. Sergeant Chidi Mordi

4. Sergeant Joseph Bernard

LASTMA OFFICIALS

1. Mr. Sam Adekunle

2. Mr. Omolaja Ige

3. Mrs. Modinat Folashade

They were caught trying to extort one Mr. Waheed Lamidi, whom they gave a Diamond bank account number 0020558133, titled Femi Adebanji to transfer the sum of seventy-five thousand Naira only (N75,000.00) when he complained that he had no cash.

The CP Lagos has directed that the suspects be brought to the Command Headquarters, X-Squad section, for thorough investigation and appropriate disciplinary action if found guilty.

In the same vein, the CP says the Command will always welcome opinions, comments and criticism geared towards helping the Force rid bad eggs in its midst and improve service delivery and not comments designed to debase or ridicule the Force.