Operatives of the Lagos State Taskforce have apprehended two notorious street urchins popularly known as “Omotaku” for allegedly extorting motorists along the Oshodi–Agunlejika–Apapa Expressway.
The suspects, identified as Abiodun Ajasa, 44, of No. 18 Jimoh Meji Street, off Agunlejika Street, and Junaid Folami of No. 12 Agunlejika Street, Itire-Ikate, were arrested following a tip-off from a civic group, ICU – To Save A Soul, which alerted the agency to their activities.
According to the Director of Public Affairs of the Lagos State Taskforce, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, operatives acted on credible intelligence and apprehended the duo while they were allegedly attempting to extort a motorist whose vehicle had developed a mechanical fault.
“The suspects initially claimed to be a bystander and a revenue collector, but investigations confirmed that they are notorious Omotaku operatives who had evaded arrest on several occasions,” Abdulraheem said.
He added that the Chairman of the agency, CSP Adetayo Akerele, disclosed that the suspects had been on the Taskforce watchlist following repeated complaints from members of the public over an illegal revenue collection syndicate that unlawfully arrests motorists and negotiates financial settlements for the release of their vehicles.
“The Chairman noted that these individuals operate deceptively and appear legitimate, making them difficult to apprehend,” Abdulraheem quoted Akerele as saying.
During interrogation, one of the suspects, Ajasa, reportedly confessed that their primary targets were vehicles conveying goods from Apapa Port that broke down along the expressway.
He explained that they approached such motorists under the guise of revenue collectors, claiming to protect them from rival Omotaku groups, before threatening vehicle impoundment unless certain sums were paid.
The second suspect also confessed that his role was to prevent drivers from accessing their vehicles in order to instill fear and panic, thereby forcing them into negotiations.
Abdulraheem said CSP Akerele assured that the suspects would be prosecuted in accordance with the law and warned other criminal elements to desist from illegal arrests and extortion.
“This arrest should serve as a strong warning to all criminal elements who tarnish the image of government by carrying out unlawful arrests and extortion under the false pretense of revenue enforcement. There is no room for criminality in Lagos,” he quoted the Chairman as saying.
He urged residents to continue reporting suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through the agency’s feedback channels for prompt response.
The suspects have been detained and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
