The Lagos State Mobile Courts have ordered the remand of six out of seven suspected miscreants accused of assaulting officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and other sister agencies during a midnight enforcement operation along Airport Road in Lagos.
The operation was led by the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, and carried out in collaboration with security operatives, the Kick Against Indiscipline Corps, the Lagos State Task Force and LASTMA field officers.
In a statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, the enforcement became necessary following formal complaints from the Nigerian Airport Authority over persistent illegal encroachment on its facilities. According to the authority, criminal elements and commercial bus operators had continued to violate existing regulations despite repeated warnings.
Taofiq explained that the management of the airport authority raised concerns about activities that had turned the area into a nuisance, with frequent cases of harassment, intimidation and dispossession of unsuspecting members of the public.
He said that during the enforcement exercise, LASTMA officers came under attack but exercised restraint despite severe provocation and threats to their lives and public property, a situation that eventually led to the arrest of the suspects.
Following their arrest, the seven suspects were arraigned on Tuesday before the Chief Magistrate of the Lagos State Mobile Court on four-count charges. One of the defendants, who pleaded not guilty, was granted bail, while the remaining six were ordered to be remanded in custody.
The case has been adjourned to February 19, 2026, for further hearing.
Bakare-Oki reaffirmed the commitment of the Lagos State Government to protect critical public infrastructure, ensure the safety of road users and maintain law and order across the state. He warned that acts of violence and lawlessness by criminal elements would not be tolerated and would be met with decisive legal action.
The statement further disclosed that during the operation, a total of 56 vehicles were impounded for various traffic and environmental violations. These included 44 commercial buses, five private vehicles and seven trucks.
What you should know
The remand of the suspects underscores the Lagos State Government’s resolve to curb criminal activities around sensitive public facilities, particularly the airport axis.
Authorities say the enforcement followed repeated complaints of harassment and illegal operations that posed risks to public safety.
By prosecuting offenders and impounding vehicles, the state aims to deter future attacks on enforcement officers and restore order along major transport corridors in the metropolis.
