Cash only: Inside Lagos Task Force extortion ring

Established to enforce order and uphold traffic laws, the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, aka Task Force, now finds itself under growing scrutiny as residents accuse its operatives of widespread abuse of power, fabricated offences, and systemic extortion, writes VICTOR AYENI

On the morning of October 20, 2025, a Lagos-based electrical engineer, Moshood Alaje, set out from his home in Palmgrove to Abaranje in Ikotun.

The 43-year-old had planned to take his vehicle for routine maintenance at a mechanic’s workshop on Islamic Street, off Abaranje Road.

Alaje explained that there is a sharp turn leading into Islamic Street from the opposite side of the road, a route frequently used by motorists.

He told Saturday PUNCH that until his encounter with the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, aka Task Force, the stretch had not been regarded as a one-way route, particularly given its proximity to the entrance.

“No sooner had I entered the street and parked my car at the mechanic’s workshop than some men in a yellow bus followed me. At first, I assumed they were there for vehicle maintenance as well. However, as they approached, they quickly seized my car key, got into the vehicle, drove it to a designated one-way section, and took a photograph of it.

“I didn’t understand what was happening at first because I thought it was a joke. I was inside the mechanic’s workshop, wondering how people could come into someone’s workspace and tow away a car.

“When they approached me, I tried to reason with them, but I soon realised they were deliberately pushing me around. Just within a short time, I noticed my car was no longer there,” Alaje recounted.

He said when he asked one of the men about the whereabouts of his car, he was told that another operative had driven it to Alausa, Ikeja, where the state government secretariat is located.

Alaje described the impoundment of vehicles over fabricated traffic offences as an experience many Lagos residents are familiar with.

The Task Force is a law enforcement agency established to maintain public order, enforce traffic regulations, and remove environmental nuisances.

However, several Lagos residents have accused the unit of high-handedness, extortion, and fabricating traffic offences.

‘I parted with over N100,000’

Recounting his experience, Alaje said he was particularly concerned about the condition of his car, which they had driven to Alausa.

While different thoughts ran through his mind, a man approached and gave him a phone number to call.

“But I soon realised that they were working together when I saw that they had all disappeared. I called the number, and the person on the other end asked me to come to the Task Force office at Bolade, Oshodi.

“Eventually, I called my friend, who contacted his boss, who later directed me to someone inside. The person revealed that if not for the individual who directed us to her, she would normally not get involved because they are not really ‘cool people.’

“After much hassle, they told me to pay N90,000 after I had already spent N10,000. I met about six people at their office that day; the least payment they demanded was N150,000,” he said.

Alaje told Saturday PUNCH that the money he and others paid to the Task Force was in cash.

“There was no transfer allowed, and they didn’t give us any bank account to pay into. The annoying part is the way they are using people’s sweat to eat and drink anyhow. They eat like there’s no tomorrow. Again, before I could pick up my car at Alausa, I had to also pay those people too,” Alaje added.

Traffic enforcement and street urchins

The specialised Anti-Oneway and Other Traffic Offenders Squad under the Task Force was launched by the state government on December 7, 2020, to specifically combat traffic law violations.

Operating under the 2018 Transport Sector Reform Law and the 2012 state Traffic Law, the squad targets one-way driving, enforces the ban on commercial motorcycles on restricted routes, and addresses traffic obstructions.

The current chairman of the Task Force, CSP Adetayo Akerele, took over the position on Monday, June 25, 2024.

After being appointed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Akerele immediately began directing operations, including traffic law enforcement, starting from June 29 that year.

Recently, accusations have emerged from residents who allege that the Task Force uses louts and street urchins for traffic enforcement and illegal extortion.

They claim that its mode of enforcement follows a pattern of abuse of power, in which officers take over steering wheels after ordering motorists out of their cars, using master keys, and, in some cases, driving vehicles on one-way to forcefully extort money from drivers.

However, the agency responded that it does not engage louts, adding that personnel in plain clothes are trained paramilitary officers involved in intelligence-led operations.

‘They seized my car with a spare key’

For Fidelis Oji (not his real name), 2023 remains etched in unhappy memory.

That year, he said he was apprehended three times by Task Force officers and allegedly extorted on each occasion.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the property dealer recalled his third encounter when he was coming from Mowe into Lagos and encountered a traffic jam near Berger.

“I decided to buy fuel that morning. As soon as I got close to Fatgbems filling station at Berger, I moved off the road to navigate to the station. I noticed a Vanagon truck (Volkswagen) honking behind me. At first, I thought, ‘Why are these Lagos drivers driving like this?’

“To avoid scratching my car, I gave them space, and they moved forward. I didn’t know it was the police, louts, and Task Force inside the bus. When I reached the filling station, they blocked my car from the front. I was confused, not knowing what was happening.

“Then some police officers with rifles came down and ordered me out of the car. I asked what the problem was. They said, ‘double lane.’ I asked, ‘What’s the meaning of double lane?’ I got out of the vehicle, turned off the ignition, and put the key in my pocket,” Oji recalled.

The father of two said he remembered his sister warning him never to drop his key with the Task Force. He also recalled that his brother had been caught by the agency around Adeniji Adele in 2021 and had to pay N100,000 to retrieve his vehicle.

“I didn’t know these men were distracting me while talking. Somebody else had gone into my car with a spare key. I don’t know where they got it from or how it happened. But I called my sister, who advised me against dropping my key.

“Within five to 10 minutes, while we were arguing about the offence, I saw a man in mufti driving my car. He said, ‘You want to prove stubborn, abi? You don’t want to drop the key, don’t you? It’s your car; we’re taking it to our office. You’ll come meet us at Oshodi.’ I said, ‘Okay,’” Oji recounted.

Describing the scenario as something straight out of a movie, Oji said he had to visit the Task Force head office at Oshodi, where his car was forcefully driven to.

On arrival, Oji was told he had committed an offence called ‘double lane’ and would have to pay N100,000 to get his car back.

At the office, he met three other alleged offenders. One man narrated that he had been taking his children to school when he was picked up.

“We all pleaded with them, and in the end, I paid N40,000. The other guy was asked to pay N70,000, and the third, who had a Korope minibus, was asked to pay N80,000 or N100,000.

“They didn’t collect the money through transfers. We had to pay in cash, either via a POS outside or within the office. A lady collected the money and kept it in a big black bag, so there was no way to trace it. When I paid, I saw the bag, and there was so much money inside.

“After I paid, they gave me a signed card and asked me to go to Alausa. The three of us left Oshodi to get our cars. The place was near the House of Assembly complex. When we got there, we had to pay N1,000 for our keys and our deflated tyres,” Oji said.

He further disclosed that his first encounter took place at Iyana Oworo when coming from Victoria Island, where he paid N12,000, and N5,000 the second time.

Oji said the experiences with extortion almost made him stop driving into Lagos.

“For people whose vehicles were seized, if they can’t pay, their cars are auctioned. I’m sure the Lagos State Government is aware of these things,” he added.

Residents bemoan extortion

Several Lagos residents who spoke with Saturday PUNCH accused the Task Force of extorting car owners even when there was no clear evidence of violations.

“When they apprehend your vehicle, and you don’t have around N30,000 to settle immediately, your vehicle will be taken to Alausa. There, you will pay nothing less than N150,000,” an entrepreneur, Adewale Osho, said.

“They are repairing roads on Lagos Island, and these men, called the Task Force, will impound vehicles parked on the bridge that are blocking the road, even when there’s nowhere else to park.

“Then, they will collect between N250,000 and N300,000 before releasing your car. The only exception is if you are highly connected; then you may go scot-free,” a trader, Ayobami Alayo, disclosed.

A resident of Isolo, Rasheed Ajala, claimed Task Force men also collect bribes and turn a blind eye to traffic infractions by commercial drivers.

“There was a case of the Task Force arresting a motorist for a minor violation at 5 a.m. around Oke-Afa, Isolo. Mind you, there was road construction, and the roundabout had already been demolished. Does it make sense to forcefully take cars from private road users?” he queried.

Recounting his experience in 2024, a private firm manager, Kareem Ola, described the Task Force as “very wicked.”

He said on the day in question, he received a phone call while driving and slowed down at a bus stop in Lekki. Before he knew it, he was accosted by Task Force men, who forced his gear into park and dragged him out of the vehicle.

“I can’t forget how they held me that day, saying I had no right to park there. All my explanations fell on deaf ears. Then they told me I would have to go to Oshodi to recover my vehicle. I knew I was going to pay.

“At that moment, I knew they would turn my car to face Oshodi, so I quickly crossed the road to follow their vehicle. While waiting, I saw another car they were asking to move, but because they were rushing, they hit another car and damaged my bumper, boot, and rear light.

“That was how they started begging me that day, but I didn’t respond. I made sure they bought another bumper and fixed everything they damaged before we parted ways,” Ola said.

Alleged bribes and forged offences

On March 12, a video shared by Objectv Media went viral on X and Facebook, showing a reporter, Segun Adewoye, accusing officers of the state Task Force of serial extortion.

He claimed that despite repeatedly reaching out to the agency to review offences levied against drivers whose vehicles had been seized, the chairman of the Task Force, CSP Akerele, only honoured his requests three times.

“Till today, every other time I called Akerele, no matter what evidence you present, he refuses to respond. Many victims always return crying, saying they have to part with between N130,000 and N150,000, and sometimes more. The funny thing is, he doesn’t even accept transfers. They demand cash, so there is no evidence of payment.

“Where does all this cash collected by the Task Force every day go? These men, in a brigand style, lay ambushes for yellow minibuses (korope) and look for corners with supposed one-way streets that lack signs. They apprehend drivers and take them to the office to demand cash.

“CSP Akerele, how much cash do you make in a day? These victims are crying every day. There’s a need to review the activities of your men,” Adewoye said.

In another video shared on X on March 14, Adewoye accused Task Force officers of hijacking a vehicle belonging to one Lateef Adeyemo, driving it to a one-way road themselves, and photographing it as “evidence.”

Saturday PUNCH learned that the incident occurred on the morning of March 13, around Mile 12.

Adeyemo was later taken before a mobile court in Oshodi and charged with four offences, including driving in a direction prohibited by the Lagos State traffic law and obstructing public officers in the discharge of their duties.

Although detained at Kirikiri for traffic offences, he was released on March 19 after meeting bail conditions.

In yet another video posted on Objectv’s Facebook page on March 23, a driver could be heard lamenting, “Look at them, they just used a spare key to start my vehicle. He’s covering his face, look at him.”

Like in the Adeyemo video, the man driving the car, believed to be a Task Force officer, covered his face and was dressed in plain clothes.

An eyewitness at the scene, who declined to give her name, told Saturday PUNCH that the incident occurred at Haruna Bus Stop in Ikorodu.

“The driver refused to hand over the key to the Task Force, so they used a spare ignition key. That was when the man began recording. They moved the car out of there and told the driver to go to their office if he wanted to retrieve his vehicle,” she said.

Task Force responds

Responding to the allegations, the Director of Public Affairs of the Task Force, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, described the claims as “misleading and malicious.”

He characterised the accusations of bribery as “unsubstantiated, defamatory, and entirely false, noting that they are clearly intended to malign the image of the Lagos State Task Force and its leadership.”

“Contrary to the claims made, all enforcement activities carried out by the agency are properly documented and processed through appropriate legal channels. Matters relating to impounded vehicles are handled strictly according to the law, with offenders charged in court where necessary. At no point does the agency or its leadership act as judge in its own case.

“The enforcement operations are led by senior, highly disciplined police officers who will not compromise their rank, professional career, or integrity for any financial inducement. It is therefore unfair and irresponsible to attempt to tarnish the reputation of officers committed to lawful duty,” he defended.

Rallying behind the agency’s chairman, Abdulraheem highlighted Akerele’s career spanning both law and policing.

He cited Akerele’s credentials, including his legal background and training at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, as evidence of a long-standing professional reputation that should not be undermined by unverified allegations.

The public affairs director also urged aggrieved individuals to seek redress through legal channels.

“The courts remain the most civilised avenue for resolving disputes, rather than resorting to ‘man-know-man’ tactics or shortcuts to recover impounded vehicles. Driving against traffic, which attracts stiff penalties, including possible forfeiture, remains strictly prohibited, and enforcement will continue without compromise.

“No amount of intimidation, blackmail, or sinister attempts will compel the agency to abandon its statutory responsibilities. Any motorist driving against traffic must be prepared to face the Magistrate in court,” Abdulraheem added.

Addressing a specific video showing alleged extortion, Abdulraheem noted that while the agency includes police personnel, it maintains a distinct dress code to differentiate its officials from conventional police officers.

“Taskforce officials are dressed in black-on-denim uniforms with uniquely designed jackets bearing the inscription ‘Taskforce’ prominently on the front and back. These jackets also display identifiable serial numbers and the official insignia, a dragon with an eagle wing. None of these features was visible in the video in question,” he added.

Police weigh in

Similarly, the Lagos State Police Command said the convicted driver, Adeyemo, had made a wrongful turn that violated traffic regulations.

“In an attempt to evade arrest, Adeyemo reversed his vehicle and rammed an oncoming commercial mini-bus, damaging it and endangering other road users. The damaged mini-bus was towed to the Task Force office in Oshodi, while Adeyemo’s vehicle was taken to Alausa for further investigation.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect instigated bystanders, leading to a brief mob action against Taskforce policemen during which stones were thrown. The viral video circulating online was recorded by the suspect while his vehicle was being conveyed to Alausa and does not capture the full context of the incident,” the police explained.

Nigeria Police Force New Media Officer, Aliyu Giwa, in a statement on his X page, said the Force had begun a careful review of the Lagos State Task Force based on the circulating video.

“Every detail is being examined. Every fact is being verified. Nothing is being overlooked or treated lightly. This standard, set by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc (+), NPM, will be upheld in this case and in all cases going forward.

“We ask only one thing: allow the review process to run its full course. Resist the pull of unverified information. Trust that the facts, once fully established, will be communicated transparently through the Lagos State Police Command’s official platform without delay.”

Lagos CP warns officials

Last Saturday, the state Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, warned that the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Task Force) could be dissolved if cases of misconduct and human rights violations persist.

Jimoh, speaking at a press briefing in Ikeja, said the command would no longer tolerate unprofessional conduct among officers attached to the unit, particularly amid rising allegations of extortion and abuse.

According to The Cable, the commissioner emphasised that the police would not shield any officer found culpable of wrongdoing.

“We are not going to defend any police officers who embark on any wrongdoing. We won’t,” he said.

The commissioner noted that recent complaints against the Task Force, including allegations of extortion and involvement in civil matters, have raised serious concerns among residents. He added that officers accused of misconduct would be investigated, urging the public to provide credible evidence to aid the process.

“We have read the riot act to them. If I receive any further complaints of wrongdoing that are verifiable and investigated, I will not hesitate to dissolve the entire Task Force and bring in a new set of officers,” Jimoh said.

The commissioner disclosed that reforms were already underway, including the deployment of newly screened officers to the unit.

“As we speak, we have been posting new officers to the Task Force after thorough background checks, training, and reorientation. We are also going to engage human rights organisations and civil society organisations to broaden their understanding of human rights,” Jimoh added.

He reiterated that the police command remains open to feedback from residents as part of efforts to address lapses and improve service delivery across the state.

Saturday PUNCH, however, gathered that the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has summoned Akerele over allegations of high-handedness, extortion, and corruption involving operatives of the unit.

“CSP Adetayo Akerele was called to Abuja on Monday. This is in light of alleged misconduct and concerns about impunity under his command,” a source disclosed. (Punch)