Fourteen LASTMA officials risk disciplinary action over extortion

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As part of efforts to check the excesses of its officials, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has said fourteen of its officials have been scheduled to face a disciplinary panel over alleged extortion and high-handedness, in line with the extant rules and regulations of the state.

According to reports, the officials consisted of 11 seniors and three juniors.

Val9ja News has learned that the officials were allegedly caught at different locations across the state, extorting money from motorists, a practice which has seemingly become a norm amongst security operatives in several parts of Nigeria.

Confirming the development, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, said that the affected officer’s cases had been investigated and would be facing “Government Disciplinary Committee known as the Personnel Management Board, (PMB) Discipline, which will adjudicate their cases in line with the Public Service Rules”.

On his part, the General Manager of LASTMA Mr. Bolaji Oreagba said the Agency would continue to offer stiff and severe punishment on officers and men in its effort to weed the agency of a few bad elements tarnishing its image.

The Agency’s manager said, “We thereby call on residents especially the motoring public to support us by promptly reporting any errant officers at the nearest LASTMA offices or use any of the Agency’s complaints hotlines with proof of evidence”

He further advised all officials of the Agency to always carry out their duties without fear or favour as he said this was in accordance with the stipulated laws guiding the authority.

Oreagba also threatened that any official caught in the process of “bringing the agency or the Government into disrepute shall face the consequence.”

Meanwhile, in Anambra State, the Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has threatened to sack all presidents of the various market unions and leadership of motor parks in five local government areas of the state if the activities of touts in those areas continue.

Soludo issued the warning while delivering a speech at the official launch of the Anambra Anti-Tout Squad on Monday, in Onitsha the state capital.

According to the Governor, his administration would not tolerate leaders who harbour and connive with touts to harass, intimidate and rip off innocent traders as he said by the end of March next year when the tenure of the present market leaders would end, they will not be renewed if activities of touts were seen to be continuing.

Governor Soludo who lamented the surge in the menace of touts and miscreants in the markets said he regretted that touts were intimidating and ripping off innocent traders who come to do business in the area stating that the activities of the touts have been badly affecting the economy of Onitsha and indeed Anambra State as a whole since people who formerly came from the North and other parts of the country to do business in Onitsha no longer come.

The governor also noticed that the market leaders were not present at the market despite his visit and said, “They are supposed to be here. All the same, you know that your tenure would end in March next year and come April 1st next year, we are not going to renew your tenures because of what the touts are doing in the markets and some of you are using those touts to rip off innocent traders and members of the public and make money.

“I want to make it clear that if any tout is found in your markets, we are not going to renew your tenures and all of you will be sacked.

“We have five local government areas where these touts operate, which are Onitsha North and South, Oyi , Ogbaru and Idemili North and I had announced that those petty traders should not pay tax or any levy at all, but the market leaders use the touts to obtain money from them.”