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Operatives of Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) have arrested a group of miscreants for charging residents ₦100 to access a makeshift crossover bridge along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
Many areas in the state were flooded on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, as a result of torrential rainfall which lasted for over 10 hours.
The flood didn't only invade homes and other buildings but also blocked major roads, restricting both vehicular and pedestrian movements.
However, some hoodlums, who converged at the Trade Fair under the bridge, saw the situation as an opportunity to extort hapless residents.
Their heinous act, which was captured on video by residents, later made it to social media.
Sharing a 54-second clip on his account, an X user who identifies as ARISE0214 wrote, “This is what the construction company has caused along Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
“While the construction is going on, they should provide temporary access routes for the citizens where there are no pedestrian bridges to avoid all this.”
In the video, some miscreants can be seen standing as a barricade at one end of the makeshift bridge while demanding ₦100 from each passerby to allow them to cross to the other side.
In a swift response, the Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, announced that the hoodlums had been arrested.
Wahab also said the suspects would be duly prosecuted.
“Following a complaint made by @ARISE0214, miscreants charging people for using the makeshift crossover bridge at Tradefair this morning (Wednesday) have been arrested by the operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial.
“They will be prosecuted according to the law,” he posted on his X.