The Lagos State Police Command has directed the immediate withdrawal of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) from all traffic control and enforcement activities across the state.
This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, who explained that the decision was aimed at improving professionalism, accountability, and proper coordination in traffic management.
According to her, the directive applies strictly to traffic-related duties, while the unit will continue to carry out its other assigned responsibilities.
“The Lagos State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, psc, mnips, has directed the immediate and complete withdrawal of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) from traffic control and traffic contravention enforcement across the state,” the statement read.
She added, “This directive is part of ongoing efforts to streamline traffic management operations and ensure professionalism, accountability, and clarity in the discharge of duties. It is important to note that while the unit has been withdrawn from traffic-related responsibilities, all other assigned duties and operational mandates of the unit remain fully in force.”
The police also clarified that the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit is not the only enforcement body operating within the state, urging residents and motorists to verify the identity of officials before making allegations, especially on traffic-related matters.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property while ensuring that all enforcement activities comply with the law. It also called on the public to remain law-abiding and cooperate with legitimate security agencies.
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The directive comes in the wake of public backlash following allegations of misconduct against some taskforce operatives.
The controversy stemmed from a viral video shared by ObjectvMedia, in which officers of the task force were accused of extortion and unlawful arrest of a motorist.
In the footage, an operative was allegedly seen taking control of a driver’s vehicle, repositioning it on a one-way route, and using it as evidence of a traffic violation before demanding payment.
The driver, however, denied committing the offence, insisting he did not drive on the one-way route shown in the video.
A voice in the clip further alleged that the motorist was detained and later remanded in prison despite attempts to resolve the matter through the taskforce chairman, Adetayo Akerele, who reportedly intervened.
The police have since launched an investigation into the incident to uncover the facts and ensure accountability.