The police in Lagos have arraigned five individuals, Raji Yusuf, 23; Olarewaju, 25; Oluwadamilare Alabi, 38; Sunday Idowu, 32, and Rabiu Ibrahim, 29, in court over extortion.

The suspects were arraigned on a three-count charge of illegal collection of money from the driver of a broken down vehicle, wilful obstruction of the driver’s broken down vehicle and a conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

The five-man street urchins, popularly known as Omotaku, were arrested by the operatives of the Lagos State Task Force in Aboru, along Abule-Egba-Abeokuta Expressway, Lagos State.

They were also charged for arresting unsuspecting motorists and extorting them of their hard earned money when their vehicle developed mechanical fault and broke down on the highway around Abule-Egba, Aboru and TBS area of the state.

Besides, the suspects were arrested following a tipoff through the agency’s hotlines.

The task force claimed that the street urchins had escaped arrest times without number.

Chairman of the task force, CSP Adetayo Akerele, who spoke on the incident, disclosed that he had been on the suspects’ trail for a very long time following reports received from the public about a group of dare-devil boys around Abule-Egba axis that normally arrest motorists and start negotiating financial settlements in exchange for the release of their vehicles.

According to two of the suspects, Alade Olarewaju and Oluwadamilare Alabi, their targets are usually vehicles conveying goods, as well as trucks that develop fault on the highways.

“We approach and inform them of roadside mechanic with legitimate duty to repair their vehicles before we show them our true colour. We arrest them and threaten them with removal of their vehicle batteries before they part with some money,” they said.

The other suspects claimed their role is to block the drivers from entering the vehicles or remove side mirrors to create fear and panic in their hearts and subject them to negotiation.

“I urge members of the public to continue reporting any suspicious activity to the nearby police station or the agency through our feedback channels for prompt action. There is no more room for criminality in Lagos State,” Akerele stated.