The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit, known as the Lagos State Task Force, denied on Saturday that it stopped a driver of a Toyota Tacoma over a marking on the vehicle or asked for a permit for it.
This denial came after a video was shared on Facebook by Jay Scotch Automobile Ltd. In this video, the driver talked about an encounter with officials who allegedly stopped him and asked for a permit for the "TRD 4×4 Sport Tacoma" marking on his vehicle.
In the video, the driver explained that the officials claimed the marking was an advertisement and demanded that he show a permit for it.
"So, I was driving this Toyota Tacoma with this TRD inscription, TRD 4×4 Sport Tacoma and Lagos Task Force had to stop me and say I should provide, you know, if there is an inscription in your car, you have to provide a permit," he said.
He also claimed that the officials threatened to break his side mirror if he did not show them the permit.
"They were like, I should provide a permit for this one. I used mouth finish them and they were threatening to spoil my side mirror if I don’t provide permit to be using this one," he said.
The driver explained that the marking was not added to the vehicle as an advertisement but came with the vehicle when he bought it in the United States.
"Something that came in like this from the abroad or from USA where it was bought from," he said.
He questioned their demand, saying, "So, I don’t know. Why are you asking me for a permit because of this TRD written on this Tacoma?"
Raheem Gbadeyanka, the Director of Press and Public Affairs of the Lagos State Task Force, responded to questions about the incident on Saturday. He said the agency was not responsible for the actions described by the driver.
Gbadeyanka explained that many residents confuse officers from different government agencies with Task Force officers, especially if they see someone in camouflage uniforms.
"Unless you understand the ignorance of some people, if care is not taken, an individual too will be ignorant of their ignorance. Many of them don’t really understand or know the difference between one agency of government or the other; once they are accosted by any policeman dressed in camouflage uniform on the street, they ignorantly believe they are Task Force operatives," he said.
He also mentioned that the Task Force no longer handles traffic-related offenses because of a directive from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.
"Ever since the Commissioner of Police of Lagos discretionally stopped us from engaging in any traffic-related offences, the agency operatives had stopped effecting the arrest of traffic offenders," he said.
Gbadeyanka added that asking for permits for vehicle inscriptions is not part of the Task Force's duties.
"It is also not part of our mandates to request for permits for inscriptions on vehicles," he said.
He also stated that Task Force officials cannot stop vehicles for traffic offenses under the current chairman, CSP Adebayo Akerele.
"The agency operatives dare not stop any vehicle for traffic offences under the watchful eyes of disciplinarian CSP Adebayo Akerele, chairman, Lagos State Task Force," he said.
This incident also highlights Lagos State's rules about branded vehicles. The Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency has said that its Mobile Advert Permit applies to branded vehicles in the state.
PUNCH reported in November 2024 that this permit is issued to owners or users of branded vehicles, including cars, buses, pick-ups, and trucks, and is valid from January to December, needing yearly renewal.
LASAA’s current website lists "Car, Truck & Bike branding" under its Mobile Branding Permit system.
In 2023, the agency said the mobile advert permit was created to manage branded vehicles, with enforcement teams sent out across Lagos to ensure compliance.
But the Task Force insists that its officers were not involved in this situation and that asking for a permit for vehicle markings is not part of their job.
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