A 77-year-old retiree, Dotun Falua, who was extorted of N55,000 by taskforce officials in the Okota area, has said he was moved to tears after the council chairman, Bayo Olasoju, refunded the money on Wednesday.
The Ekiti-born man on Wednesday honoured the invitation of the chairman of the Isolo Local Council Development Area, noting that Olasoju sympathised with him over his ordeal in the hands of the culprits who extorted him.
In a chat with our correspondent, Falua said, “I met the chairman of the local council and I was amazed by the amiable demeanour of the chairman.
“First and foremost, he was in the office on the dot at 8am. He explained in detail the efforts they are making to stop this menace and that they are thoroughly investigating this and many like issues.
“He thereafter gave me my money back and apologised for the inconvenience caused me. I was moved to tears that we still have public servants with this type of disposition to public service.”
PUNCH Metro had last week reported that Falua accused the task force officials of extorting him N55,000 in the area while on his way from Airport Road where he visited a family friend. The council had since begun an investigation into the matter.
However, the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit denied the involvement of its officials in the extortion, saying “unscrupulous individuals parading themselves as officials of the Lagos State Taskforce” could be responsible for the extortion.
Giving an update on Wednesday in a statement made available to PUNCH Metro, the Chief Press Secretary to the council chairman, Rasheed Alao, said the council boss made it known that the perpetrators of the extortion “are not residents of Isolo LCDA and are only out to make a living from unsuspecting members of the public.
“Olasoju explained to the septuagenarian that the committee is employing conventional and guerrilla means to apprehend the criminals and make them pay for their illegal activity as he noted his disappointment that a set of people could be deliberate about denting the image of his administration with such an activity.
“The council boss, in his characteristic humility, gifted the Ekiti-born retiree the amount extorted and sought his continued cooperation in the ongoing investigation.”
