The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has arrested six suspected members of a notorious “one-chance” syndicate operating beneath the Ijora Bridge corridor of Lagos.
The coordinated operation, which took place on Thursday, October 23, 2025, was part of the Lagos State Government’s ongoing efforts to enhance public safety, restore environmental order, and eliminate criminal hideouts across the metropolis.
The arrest was made during a joint inter-agency enforcement exercise aimed at dismantling illegal garages, clearing unauthorized shanties, and eradicating criminal enclaves along Apapa Road, Costain, and Ijora under the bridge.
According to LASTMA, the operation yielded substantial recoveries, including 77 assorted mobile phones, 2 Point-of-Sale (POS) machines, multiple wristwatches, and several personal effects suspected to have been stolen from unsuspecting commuters and pedestrians.
The exercise was led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Honourable Sola Giwa, and involved a multi-agency team comprising 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 revealed that the Ijora under-bridge area had long been used as a haven for criminal activities, harboring miscreants, illegal traders, and “one-chance” syndicates responsible for violent assaults and theft from innocent citizens.
Authorities also discovered that the location doubled as a concealed storage facility for stolen valuables and contraband items.
During the clean-up, operatives uncovered several kegs of adulterated diesel and over 150 packs of expired plantain chips and Cheese Balls being hoarded under unsanitary conditions.
Officials noted that the discovery highlighted the dual challenge of crime and poor hygiene within the area, posing significant risks to both public health and safety.
In addition to the arrests, the task force demolished over 120 illegal structures, including makeshift shanties built along the perimeter fence of St. Peter’s Catholic Nursery and Primary School, Apapa Road.
The demolition, according to the government, was aimed at reclaiming public spaces, restoring urban aesthetics, and ensuring the safety of school environments from encroachment.
Speaking during the enforcement exercise, Honourable Sola Giwa reaffirmed the Sanwo-Olu administration’s zero-tolerance policy towards environmental violations and the unlawful occupation of public infrastructure.
He stated that the operation was part of a larger strategy to secure Lagos communities and maintain the integrity of the state’s transport corridors.
Hon. Giwa also warned criminal elements and illegal occupants still operating beneath bridges or in unauthorized spaces to vacate immediately.
He emphasized that the Lagos State Government would sustain similar enforcement drives across all parts of the metropolis until total compliance with the law is achieved.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the inter-agency collaboration that made the operation successful, describing it as an exemplary display of unity among enforcement bodies.
He noted that LASTMA’s mandate extends beyond traffic management to include safeguarding public spaces, enhancing environmental safety, and protecting transport infrastructure from misuse and criminal encroachment.
Mr. Bakare-Oki urged residents to support ongoing government initiatives by remaining vigilant and reporting suspicious movements or activities around public spaces.
He assured Lagosians that the agency would continue to complement the government’s broader mission to create a cleaner, safer, and more habitable city for all.
The arrested suspects were identified as Adetunji Bashiru (28 years), Sulaiman Kada (35 years), Abubakar Bala (42 years), Abubakar Ahmed (28 years), Rasaq Gbadamosi (21 years), and Ibrahim Yakub (23 years).
According to LASTMA, the suspects will be transferred to the appropriate law enforcement authorities for detailed investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law.
