Police nab fake revenue collectors in Lagos

Etim Ekpimah

Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested four suspects for extorting motorists in the state while posing as officials of the disbanded Lagos State Committee on the Removal of Abandoned Vehicles (RAVC).

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Friday named the suspects as Taiwo Falodun, aka Biggy (48), Adedire Olaniyi (42), Femi Osunkoya (53) and Olalekan Edu (51).

He said two other suspects are Adedire and Osunkoya, were apprehended yesterday after impounding the vehicle of a motorist for changing lanes at Alausa.

According to him, the motorist stated that the suspects took her vehicle to a park in front of Elephant Cement House, where she was asked to pay N50,000 as a fine.

She, however, reached out to friends who contacted the Rapid Response Squad (RRS). The RRS arrived at the scene promptly, arrested the suspects and commenced preliminary investigations.

“While the investigation was ongoing, their leader, one Taiwo Falodun, came along with a government official, identified as Olalekan Edu to solicit the release of the arrested suspects. They were both arrested, too.

“RRS fingerprint records showed that Taiwo Falodun and Adedire Olaniyi were once arrested in 2020 for extorting a university professor while posing as local government officials on LASU-Igando Road,” he said.

The PPRO added that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, has directed the Commander RRS, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi to charge the suspects to court at the conclusion of investigations.