CITIZENS COMPASS— Operatives of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offenses (Enforcement) Unit (Taskforce), on Monday, said it has arrested notorious street urchins popularly known as ‘Omotaku’ along Aboru, Abule-Egba- Abeokuta expressway.
The operatives also apprehended more suspected street urchins around Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) and other areas of the state.
The five suspects, Alade Olarewaju (M) 25 years, Oluwadamilare Alabi (M). 38yrs, Sunday Idowu( M) 32yrs, Rabiu Ibrahim(M)29yrs, and Raji Yusuf (M)23 who go about arresting unsuspecting motorists and extorting them of their hard earned money when their vehicle developed mechanical fault and broke down on the highway around Abule-Egba, Aboru, TBS area of the State.
The arrest on Monday, followed a tipoff through the agency hotlines, as the operatives swung into action and apprehended the five suspects claiming to be assisting the motorists to fix the broken down vehicle, while they tried to arrest and extort the motorist.
However, the motorist quickly reached out to the Taskforce who confirmed they were Omotaku who had escaped arrest times without number before arresting them today.
Speaking on the incident, The Chairman of the Agency, CSP Adetayo Akerele disclosed that he has been on the trail of these boys for a very long time, due to the numerous reports he receives from members of the public about a group of daredevil boys around Abule-Egba axis who arrest motorists and start negotiating financial settlements in exchange of the release of their vehicle.
According to two of the suspects, Alade Olarewaju and Oluwadamilare Alabi, their targets are usually vehicles conveying goods and lorries which broke down on the highways, we approach them and disguise as roadside mechanics with legitimate duty to repair their vehicles before we show them our true colour, and threaten them with removal of their vehicle batteries before they part with some money.
The other suspects claim their role was to block the driver from entering the vehicle of their prey or remove side mirrors in order to create fear and panic in their hearts and subject them to negotiation.
All the suspects have been arraigned in court on the three counts charges of illegal collection of fees from driver of a broken down vehicle, willful obstruction of the driver’s of a broken down vehicle and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
“I urge members of the public to continue reporting any suspicious activities to the nearby Police Station or to the Agency through our feedback channels for prompt action. There is no more room for criminality in Lagos”, Akerele stated.
