Lagos Taskforce Arrests Five Suspected ‘Omotaku’ for Alleged Extortion in Abule-Egba, Other Areas
Lagos Taskforce Arrests Five Suspected ‘Omotaku’ for Alleged Extortion in Abule-Egba, Other Areas
The Lagos State Taskforce has arrested five suspected street urchins, popularly known as Omotaku, for allegedly harassing and extorting motorists along Aboru, Abule-Egba, the Abeokuta Expressway, TBS, and other parts of the state.
The suspects — Alade Olarewaju, 25; Oluwadamilare Alabi, 38; Sunday Idowu, 32; Rabiu Ibrahim, 29; and Raji Yusuf, 23 — were apprehended following a tip-off from members of the public through the agency’s hotline.
According to the Taskforce, the suspects were known for targeting motorists whose vehicles broke down on major roads. They allegedly posed as roadside mechanics offering assistance but later intimidated drivers and demanded money before allowing them to leave.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the group usually focused on commercial vehicles, trucks, and lorries conveying goods. After approaching the drivers under the guise of helping to repair the vehicles, they reportedly threatened to remove batteries or prevent repairs unless money was paid.
Some of the suspects were also said to have played roles such as blocking drivers from accessing their vehicles or removing side mirrors to create panic and force negotiations.
Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Adetayo Akerele, said the agency had been monitoring the activities of the group for some time following repeated complaints from residents, particularly around the Abule-Egba axis.
He noted that the arrest was made possible through timely information provided by the public, which enabled operatives to move swiftly and apprehend the suspects before they could carry out their alleged activities.
Akerele reiterated the agency’s commitment to sanitising the state of criminal elements, warning that anyone involved in harassment, extortion, or illegal collection of money on the roads would be dealt with according to the law.
The five suspects have been charged to court on a three-count charge bordering on illegal collection of money from drivers of broken-down vehicles, obstruction, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
The Taskforce chairman urged residents to continue reporting suspicious activities to security agencies, assuring that there is no room for criminality in Lagos State.
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