Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Henry Owen
In a coordinated enforcement operation demonstrating Lagos State Government’s commitment to public safety and urban order, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Thursday, October 23, 2025, apprehended six suspected members of a notorious “one-chance” syndicate operating beneath the Ijora Bridge corridor.
The arrests were part of a joint inter-agency exercise targeting illegal garages, unauthorized shanties, and criminal hideouts along Apapa Road, Costain, and the Ijora under-bridge area. The operation yielded the recovery of 77 mobile phones, 2 POS machines, several wristwatches, and other personal effects reportedly stolen from unsuspecting commuters and pedestrians.
Led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Honourable Sola Giwa, the exercise involved personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Mobile Police (MOPOL), Lagos State Task Force, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), and the Nigerian Army. Preliminary investigations indicated that the Ijora under-bridge area had long served as a hub for illegal trading, criminal activities, and the storage of stolen goods.
The enforcement team also seized adulterated diesel, over 150 packs of expired plantain chips and cheese balls, and demolished more than 120 illegal shanties, including structures along the perimeter of St. Peter’s Catholic Nursery and Primary School, thereby restoring public safety and urban integrity.
Speaking during the operation, Honourable Sola Giwa reiterated the administration’s zero-tolerance policy toward environmental infractions, unlawful occupation of public infrastructure, and criminal enclaves. He warned that enforcement operations would continue until full compliance is achieved across the state.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, praised the collaboration among all participating agencies, highlighting that LASTMA’s mandate extends beyond traffic management to include public safety, environmental protection, and securing transport corridors from criminal encroachment. He encouraged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.
The suspects apprehended in the operation have been identified as Adetunji Bashiru (28), Sulaiman Kada (35), Abubakar Bala (42), Abubakar Ahmed (28), Rasaq Gbadamosi (21), and Ibrahim Yakub (23). Their cases are set to be transferred to relevant law enforcement authorities for further investigation and prosecution.
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