The Lagos State Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences Enforcement Unit has arrested no fewer than 51 individuals who were part of a highway gang known for harassing and extorting truck drivers.
The Public Relations Officer of the agency, Mr Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.
He said that the suspects were arrested during special operations along the Apapa-Oshodi and Lagos-Badagry Expressway by the agency on Monday.
According to him, the group allegedly used aggressive tactics to coerce truck drivers into giving them money, claiming to work for the defunct Lagos State Parks and Garages Agency.
Abdulraheem said the gang had been accused of engaging in violent and coercive behavior, which included inflicting harm on drivers and committing acts of intimidation when faced with resistance.
“We have been on the trail of this gang for a while after receiving several complaints from road users who ply the corridors.
“We even heard of instances of drivers who refused to comply and later faced violent threats, including the removal of essential truck components such as batteries and mirrors right on the expressway,” he said.
Taskforce arrests 51 highway gang members targeting truck drivers in Lagos