PRESS STATEMENT
Our attention has been drawn to a wishy-washy distorted statement issued by the lying spokesperson (Gbadeyan Abdulraheem) of the Lagos State Taskforce in response to the statement we issued over the highhandedness, arbitrariness and fraudulent activities of the Task Force officials. We expect the Lagos Task Force to release Babatunde Ajadi’s power bike instead of peddling lies.
Lagos Task Force fraudulently claimed that the power bike was impounded for driving against traffic (one-way) and was carrying two passengers without helmets but failed to back it up with any evidence. The usual default lies and blackmail peddled against their victims is that they drove against traffic, there are many evidential reports of Task Force officials arresting motorists, seize their vehicles, reposition it against traffic and use it as evidence to extort huge sums of money. The fact of the matter is that the Task Force officers and their recruited thugs attacked Babatunde Ajadi at the Union Road, Agege, dragged the power bike to the expressway and when Babatunde and onlookers queried the reason for the harassment, they were molested and beaten while Babatunde sustained injuries in the process. The August 16, 2025 incident was the second time his power bike had been impounded and huge sums of money collected.
The extortionist Lagos taskforce said that no human rights advocates are above the traffic law. CDWR categorically makes it clear that we do not support favouritism or preferential treatment to some people while the rest are subjected to the rule of law. Babatunde Ajadi is not a member of CDWR or NLC but we cannot keep silent in the face of unbridled attacks, recklessness, flagrant violation of human rights and extortion perpetuated by Lagos Task Force. It is Lagos Task Force that will be accused of selective law enforcement because it has never arrested and impounded a vehicle owned by top ranking politicians (House of Assembly members, National Assembly members, Local government Chaimen etc), traditional kings, top army officers, top police officers etc., despite the reckless violation of traffic rules and other civil laws by some of them.
The reality is that the Lagos Traffic Law that empowers police officers and thugs to arrest a so-called violator of traffic law, dispossess/impound the person of his/her vehicle without an opportunity to defend himself or herself is unconstitutional and undemocratic. We are not oblivious of the fact that the Lagos State Government and the Lagos Task Force have put in place a subservient “kangaroo court” that rubberstamp virtually all the undemocratic attacks carried out by the Task Force. Many Nigerians have been sent to jail for days, weeks, months and years on account of the Lagos Traffic Law and nefarious activities of the Lagos Task Force when the same police officers have not arrested and prosecuted any top politician in Lagos despite the monumental looting of public funds that takes place on a daily basis.
Lagos Task Force also fraudulently claimed that the rider and three other human rights activists approached one ASP Gamagins Kaffaru offering a bribe of N20,000 to secure the release the bike and was rejected- very laughable. To set the record straight, it was Babatunde Ajadi and his two friends that approached the Task Force men and thugs where they were positioned at Ikeja bus stop on the day the power bike was snatched and they refused to release the bike except if the rider parted with N50,000. The modus operandi of the Task Force is that the uniformed police officers are positioned on the left hand side while the thugs who anchor the bribe collections are stationed on the right-hand side. The police officers referred Victims to the thugs who collect the bribe in order to hide the extortion. This is a perfected criminal act that gets people fleeced every day.
Why is the Lagos Task Force using thugs as part of the attacking squad and police officers wearing jackets to cover their name tags? It is simply to cover up their nefarious activities. We do not know anywhere in the world where police officers work with thugs to harass and extort innocent people other than in Nigeria and Lagos Task Force has perfected this criminal trade. These thugs are not identifiable, no name, home or office address and cannot be traced after infractions.
The Task Force also lied when it stated that the complainants failed to follow up through the appropriate channels despite being given the opportunity. Babatunde Ajadi and a member of CDWR visited the Task Force office more than 10 times, spend over 4 hours on each occasion and were told that investigation was ongoing and they stopped visiting after it became clear that the officers were playing games and wasting their precious time. It is over seven months, the power bike has been impounded and the Task Force may have sold off the power bike and illegally shared proceed, which is the ultimate goal. It is a fact that we did a petition to the Task Force Chairman (CSP Adetayo Akerele) but it turned out that we took our complaint to the wrong person considering the fact that CSP Akerele is part of the organised crime. If the power bike has been sold off by CSP Akerele and his gang, he should buy a new power bike of the same quality and give it to Babatunde.
It is a known fact that Task Force officers unleash terror on the people, seize their vehicles and dispose them when bribe is not paid. This is a crime against humanity. The Lagos State Government must revisit the undemocratic Traffic Law.
The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) hereby reiterates its demand for Babatunde Ajadi’s Power Bike to be released. We call on the Inspector General of Police to investigate the activities of the Lagos State Task Force and ensure all vehicles illegally seized are accounted for and released.
SIGNED:
Comrade Rufus Olusesan Comrade Chinedu Bosah
National Chairperson National Publicity Secretary