Police nab dismissed cop, six others for extorting motorists

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a dismissed spy policeman, Taiwo Falodun, and six others for allegedly extorting motorists on the LASU-Igando Expressway.

It was gathered that Falodun and the other suspects, Mukaila Atanda, Adedire Olaniyi, Chibuzor Eze, Akinseye Alex, Rasak Eko and Aro Dotun, acted as local government traffic officers to extort motorists, who had to part with cash and pay through a Point of Sale terminal owned by one of the suspects.

The suspects, who claimed to be contract workers of the Ikotun-Igando Local Council Development Area of the state, allegedly extorted a motorist last week Thursday.

The suspects extorted N41,000 from the victim for not speeding on the expressway.

Our correspondent learnt that the victim was on his way to Igando when the suspects, who were operating in a tricycle, stopped him and forced him to drive to their hideout along the LASU-Igando Road, where his car was impounded.

The victim was made to pay the sum before his car was released to him the following day.

However, the suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad on Monday after the victim reported their activities.

The RRS found out that the suspects had impounded and deflated the tyres of over 15 cars, and two commercial buses.

One of the victims stated that N30,000 was demanded from him to prevent his vehicle being towed to Badagry, where he would allegedly be made to pay N75,000.

Falodun was quoted to have said in his statement that there were three teams operating in the area on contract basis for the LCDA, adding that each of the teams was remitting N20,000 weekly to the LCDA.

Payment tickets ranging from N25,000 to N75,000 issued to the victims and one tricycle were recovered from the suspects.