The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has apprehended six individuals suspected to be part of a notorious “one-chance” robbery syndicate operating around the Ijora Bridge corridor in Lagos.

A statement from LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed that the operation was conducted in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, Mobile Police, Lagos State Task Force, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, and the Nigerian Army.

The arrests, made on Thursday, October 23, 2025, formed part of a joint enforcement effort aimed at clearing illegal garages, makeshift shanties, and criminal hideouts along Apapa Road, Costain, and under the Ijora Bridge.

Sola Giwa, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, said the coordinated exercise underscores the government’s zero-tolerance approach to environmental violations and unlawful occupation of public spaces.

“This operation is part of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s integrated efforts to make Lagos safer, cleaner, and more habitable. Criminal elements and illegal occupants still operating beneath bridges and in unauthorized spaces are hereby warned to vacate immediately,” Giwa said.

During the operation, enforcement teams recovered 77 mobile phones, two POS machines, several wristwatches, and other personal items believed to have been stolen from unsuspecting commuters and pedestrians. Officials also seized multiple kegs of adulterated diesel and over 150 packs of expired plantain chips and cheese balls.

Giwa noted that the Ijora under-bridge area had become a hub for criminal activity. “The location had evolved into a storage centre for stolen items and contraband. Today’s cleanup has successfully dismantled those hideouts and restored order to the corridor,” he added.

In addition to the arrests, more than 120 illegal shanties were demolished, including structures near St. Peter’s Catholic Nursery and Primary School on Apapa Road.

“By reclaiming these public spaces, we are reinforcing urban discipline and ensuring vital infrastructure is not converted into criminal shelters,” Giwa stated.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, praised the collaboration among security and enforcement agencies, describing it as a model of effective inter-agency coordination.

“LASTMA’s responsibility extends beyond traffic management. It includes ensuring public safety, protecting transport corridors, and preventing criminal encroachments on public infrastructure,” Bakare-Oki said.

He urged Lagos residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities promptly to the relevant authorities.

The six suspects—Adetunji Bashiru (28), Sulaiman Kada (35), Abubakar Bala (42), Abubakar Ahmed (28), Rasaq Gbadamosi (21), and Ibrahim Yakub (23)—have been handed over to law enforcement agencies for further investigation and prosecution.