By Segun Adeyemi
Eight officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, have been arrested by the Lagos State Government for collecting bribes from motorist and other corrupt practices.
In a statement released on Sunday by Mamud Hassan, the spokesman for the agency, said the officials, who were attached to its Agege-Pen Cinema office, were arrested last week.
The accused are Adebeshin Adeola, Davies Idowu, Folashade Abolade, Shittu Lanre, Akinkotu Olusoga, Olowu Said, Olaoye Peter and Adebola Said.
The duo of Messrs Adeshina and Davies had earlier arrested two commercial buses with registration numbers FKJ 770 XT and KRD 558 XM driven by one Olatunji Mayowa and Donatus Eze respectively at Abule Egba area of the state for seat belt violation.
They were taken to the Agege office where Messrs Adeshina and Davies, alongside the general duty officer, demanded a sum of N7,200 from each of the bus drivers for the release of their buses.
“The drivers alerted the agency and a sting operation coordinated by the Provost Marshal of the agency, Femi Ajibosho, was initiated.
“Marked currencies were given to the drivers to pay with and it led to the arrest of the corrupt officials.
“Similarly, members of a patrol team of the Agency comprising of Shittu Lanre, Akinkotu Olusoga, Olowu Said, Olaoye Peter and Adebola Said arrested a vehicle for traffic law violation.
“Abolade was then asked to collect a bribe on their behalf from the alleged offender before the release of the vehicle,” he said.
Though the officials have been released, they will be made to face disciplinary actions by the state government.
Speaking on the incident at Oshodi Office of the Agency, LASTMA General Manager, Olawale Musa, said the agency has set a standard for itself to become one of the most disciplined, credible and efficient traffic management institutions in the Sub-Saharan Africa.
“LASTMA under my watch will not tolerate any act of indiscipline and corruption capable of dragging the revered image of the agency and that of the State Government to the mud.
“To this end, all the officials involved in the shameful act will be made to appear before the Personnel Management Board (Discipline) to defend their action in accordance with the relevant sections of the Public Service Rules,” he added.
