54 touts arrested over extortion of truck drivers on Lagos roads

Officials of the Lagos State Taskforce have apprehended 54 miscreants involved in illegal ticketing and extortion activities in the state.

The targets of the miscreants are usually truck drivers and commercial vehicles entering the state from the expressway.

City & Crime gathered that the arrests were made in key areas, including Isolo, Mushin, Apapa, Mile 2, and Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

The suspects, who specialize in waylaying trucks loaded with goods and imposing unlawful fines on them, have through their activities, plagued truck operators for some time and contributed negatively to delays and disruptions in the smooth flow of goods and services in and out of the state.

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The clampdown may not be unconnected to last Friday’s attack on a truck driver by hoodlums at the First gate area of the Mile 2, Badagry expressway.

Speaking on the arrests, the chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Adetayo Akerele, said the enforcement exercises were parts of the Agency’s mandate to put an end to such unlawful practices.

“This illegal ticketing system has been operating for too long. We are committed to arresting and prosecuting anyone who imposes unjustified fines on trucks and commercial vehicles. These practices are not only illegal but also detrimental to the state’s economy,” he said.

He said the 54 arrested suspects would be charged to court.