Fake LASTMA Officer Remanded After Pleading Not Guilty to Fraud, Impersonation Charges

Fake LASTMA Officer Remanded After Pleading Not Guilty to Fraud, Impersonation Charges

A Lagos Mobile Court has ordered the remand of a 47-year-old man, Adetayo Adewodun, who was apprehended for impersonating an officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and extorting money from a motorist at Itire Junction.

Adewodun was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and impersonation. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and was consequently remanded in a correctional facility pending the perfection of his bail conditions. The case was thereafter adjourned for further hearing.

According to LASTMA, the suspect was nabbed on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, by the Agency’s Surveillance and Intelligence Unit during a swift enforcement operation directed by the General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki.

Investigations revealed that Adewodun, along with two accomplices still at large, had accosted one Mr. Ayano Stephen, the driver of a white Hilux vehicle (registration number GME 259 TE), for allegedly making an unlawful turn at Itire Junction.

The suspect, who posed as a LASTMA operative, allegedly demanded ₦80,000 as a supposed penalty for the traffic offence but eventually collected ₦7,800 — the only amount the victim had on him.

Reacting to the development, Mr. Bakare-Oki described the suspect’s arraignment and remand as a welcome and commendable development, emphasizing that justice must take its due course.

He stated that the move would serve as a strong deterrent to others who impersonate LASTMA officials to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, warning that the Agency would not relent in fishing out impostors tarnishing its image.

The LASTMA boss reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to maintaining order, discipline, and sanity on Lagos roads while protecting law-abiding citizens from fraudulent exploitation and harassment.