By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce), led by an official identified as Akerele, have arrested eight members of the Titilope Aduragbemi Empowerment Association and seized several commercial buses over allegations linked to the use of identification stickers.
The incident, which began in Iyana Ipaja and escalated to the Taskforce office at Bolade between Monday, 30 March and Tuesday, 31 March, 2026 followed a raid during which operatives indiscriminately impounded buses on claims that stickers affixed to them were being used for extortion by some taskforce personnel.
According to findings by thegazellenews.com Akerele led the enforcement team to Iyana Ipaja, where several “danfo” buses were arrested on what sources described as “trivial allegations” concerning the stickers displayed on the vehicles.
However, drivers of the affected buses maintained that the stickers were legitimately issued by their association for identification and protection purposes.
“Our stickers are meant for identification of our buses and protection. They are not for any illegal activity,” one of the drivers told operatives during the raid.
Further investigation revealed that some of the seized vehicles belong to a Corporate Affairs Commission-registered body, the Titilope Aduragbemi Empowerment Association.
In the course of the operation, five buses were reportedly confiscated and taken to the Taskforce office in Bolade.
Subsequently, Akerele summoned the executives of the association to his office on Monday afternoon, claiming the meeting was to verify their CAC registration documents.
Those invited included the Chairman, Fatai Kasali; Vice Chairman, Said Eniola; Treasurer, Nurudeen Fasasi; and former Treasurer, Said Shittu.
However, upon arrival, the four executives were allegedly detained alongside two drivers, raising concerns among members of the association.
Tensions escalated on Tuesday morning, 31 March, 2026, when two additional bus owners were arrested at the mobile court while attempting to secure bail for the detained officials.
In total, eight members of the association were arraigned before a mobile court sitting at the Taskforce office in Bolade.
Following their arraignment, all eight were remanded in correctional facilities, with some sent to Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre and others to Badagry Correctional Centre.
The development has sparked reactions among transport operators, with many questioning the basis of the arrests and the continued enforcement actions by the Taskforce, particularly in light of ongoing concerns about its role in traffic-related operations across the state.
