The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit says it has arrested 20 suspected miscreants and seized 60 motorcycles used to commit crimes in Allen Avenue area of Ikeja.
The Taskforce Chairman, CSP Shola Jejeloye, disclosed this in a statement issued by the Director, Press and Public Affairs, Mr Gbadeyan Abdulraheem on Sunday.
Jejeloye said that the agency caught no fewer than 150 miscreants around Allen Avenue using commercial motorcycles for criminal activities.
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He said that they also impounded 19 vehicles displayed for sales on the walkways at Ladipo auto parts market, Mushin and 43 tricycles plying restricted routes on the highways.
He maintained that the agency had started the year on a good note, adding that it was evident that the state would not be a safe haven for criminals and environmental law offenders in the Year 2022.
According to him, 40 illegal street traders arrested in some parts of the state will face the mobile court for prosecution as soon as possible.
“The agency this year is all out to reduce offendrrs of environmental laws to its barest minimum,” Jejeloye said.
Meanwhile, operatives of the agency also arrested a 35-year-old ex-convict, one Ismaila Salami, who specialises in impounding commercial motorcycles under the guise of being an official of the taskforce.
Jejeloye said that the suspect was arrested at Oshodi on Thursday after he seized a bike from an unsuspecting commercial rider at Mushin and rode it to Oshodi where he was intercepted by the agency’s officials and confessed to the crime.
He said that the suspect, who confessed that he was an ex-convict was fond of swindling commercial motorcycle operators after he was released from the correctional centre.
The chairman said that the suspect also claimed to be operating with a gang of no fewer than five men who jointly go out on illegal patrols to impound commercial motorcycles from their owners, while he single handedly stole the motorcycle in question.
“We do not get paid by the local government. We just go out on illegal patrols around our axis to see who we can arrest and bully till he parts with some money before we release his bike.
“We usually charge between N3,000 and N4,000 per bike. `Mentioning the word “taskforce” makes the motorcyclists succumb when arrested’,” Jejeloye quoted the suspect as saying in his confession.
He said that an identity card with the inscription “Mushin Local Government, Taskforce Okada Board” was recovered from the suspect, adding that he would be charged to court soon.
According to the chairman, the agency will come out with full force to make the state become unbearable for any criminal and violator of the state environmental laws in 2022. (NAN)
