A Catholic priest, Fr John Okerulu, in Surulere Local Council has condemned the harassment of car owners in Lagos by persons claiming to be council task force officers.

Okerulu, who is based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said he was stopped in the Orile area on Monday, while driving a private Sienna vehicle and pressured to pay for a licence meant for commercial drivers.

In a video posted on August 18, the cleric recounted that despite presenting valid documents, members of the task force threatened to impound his car if he refused to pay. He said he demanded to be taken to their office, where officials continued to insist on payment before later ordering him to leave.

“I didn’t pay a penny but spent about an hour at their office,” Okerulu said, describing the encounter as an extortion attempt. Reacting, Sola Giwa, Special Adviser on Transportation to the Governor of Lagos State, disowned the group and described them as impostors operating without government authority.

He said: “The team demanding Hackney permits from private vehicle owners is not legally authorised by the Lagos State government. We’ve consistently taken action against such impostors, some posing as Ministry of Transport or revenue officers. This new wave will not be an exception. We are tracking them already, and I can assure you they will be dealt with decisively. Lagosians deserve order, not extortion.”

Giwa assured residents that the state government remains committed to eliminating illegal task forces and restoring order on Lagos roads.