In a decisive crackdown on criminal activities, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has arrested six suspected members of a “one-chance” robbery syndicate notorious for terrorising commuters around the Ijora Bridge corridor in Lagos.
The operation, which took place on Thursday, October 23, 2025, was a joint security exercise involving LASTMA, the Nigeria Police Force, Mobile Police, Lagos State Task Force, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, and the Nigerian Army.
According to Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment at LASTMA, the raid was part of a wider effort to clear illegal garages, makeshift shanties, and criminal hideouts along Apapa Road, Costain, and Ijora under-bridge.
Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, Sola Giwa, said the operation reflects the state government’s zero-tolerance policy on environmental abuse and illegal occupation of public spaces.
“This operation is part of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s integrated effort to make Lagos safer, cleaner, and more habitable. Criminal elements and illegal occupants still operating beneath bridges are hereby warned to vacate immediately,” Giwa warned.
During the enforcement, security operatives recovered 77 mobile phones, 2 POS machines, several wristwatches, and other personal items suspected to have been stolen from victims. They also seized multiple kegs of adulterated diesel and over 150 packs of expired snacks, including plantain chips and cheese balls.
Giwa disclosed that the Ijora under-bridge had become a major hub for storing stolen goods and contraband items, which have now been dismantled. Over 120 illegal shanties were also demolished, including structures around St. Peter’s Catholic Nursery and Primary School on Apapa Road.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the inter-agency cooperation, describing it as a model for coordinated urban safety operations.
“LASTMA’s role goes beyond traffic management — it also involves ensuring public safety and protecting transport infrastructure from criminal encroachments,” Bakare-Oki stated.
He urged residents to stay alert and report any suspicious movement to authorities.
The six suspects — Adetunji Bashiru (28), Sulaiman Kada (35), Abubakar Bala (42), Abubakar Ahmed (28), Rasaq Gbadamosi (21), and Ibrahim Yakub (23) — have been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
