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A 77-year-old retiree, Dotun Falua, has accused some taskforce officials in Okota, in the Isolo Local Council Development Area, Lagos State of extortion.
The retiree from Ekiti State said the men extorted N55,000 from him on Monday while on his way from the Airport Road where he visited a family friend.
Falua told PUNCH Metro that while he was on his way back from the visit, he stopped at a shop along Ajao Road, leading to Canoe Bus Stop to purchase an item when a man who claimed to be a taskforce official forced his way into the car.
He said, “I went to Redstar Express, off Airport Road to see a family friend. After we finished the discussion, he offered his driver to take me back home.
“On our way back, we just stopped at a shop along Ajao Road leading to Canoe Bus Stop with the driver in the car and the car engine still on, incidentally the owner of the shop was not in and I did not even close the door of the car.
“In a jiffy, someone opened the front door and jumped in, claiming he was a task force official. He said he wanted to warn us that we should have not parked there.
“We explained to him that we are not parking and not in any way blocking traffic. There was even no traffic at that time around 2pm.”
According to Falua, the official who did not give his name asked that he should be dropped off.
He alleged that the man kept directing the driver until they got to the Okota Taskforce Office where some other thugs harassed and extorted them.
He added, “While in the car, he kept telling us that it was just a warning gesture and that we just needed to move forward and drop him. He kept directing the driver until we got to Okota Taskforce Office.
“On getting there, some thugs swarmed us and forcefully ceased the car key. They stressed that unless we paid N55,000, they would not release the car.
“I told them the car was not mine, we even pleaded, but to no avail, until we transferred N55,000 plus the Point of Sale charges to an agent.”
Falua lamented that he had to call the owner of the car who paid the money for no offence committed and hence requested that the case be investigated and the money returned.
“I want this matter investigated. Let the appropriate authorities take this up to check this rubbish and return the money. The poor boy had to squeeze out this money after this extortion,” the retiree added.
Meanwhile, a source who spoke to PUNCH Metro stated that they had been receiving complaints from people regularly concerning the thugs that allegedly defrauded Falua, adding that they were political thugs used during the past elections.
Contacted, Damilola Kushimo, the Deputy Chief Press Secretary to Isolo Local Council Development Authority Chairman, Bayo Olasoju, said the council did not have any knowledge of the extortion.
“I just placed a call to the Supervisor – more like the Commissioner for Special Duties we have in the local government. He claimed not to have any idea about it. For now, there is no idea about that extortion. He (the council chairman) is currently in a meeting,” Kushimo said.
He asked our correspondent to come to the council office to provide information about the extortion.
Reacting as well, Gboyega Akosile, the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was positive that the suspects could be apprehended, described the incident as a case of “bad eggs in the society.”
“It’s a case of bad eggs in the society, you should talk to the chairman of the taskforce,” he simply told PUNCH Metro.