Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit, popularly known as the Lagos State Task Force, has denied allegations that its operatives stopped a Toyota Tacoma driver over a vehicle inscription and demanded a permit.
The agency said requesting permits for vehicle inscriptions was not part of its mandate, adding that its operatives had stopped enforcing traffic-related offences following a directive from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.
The denial followed a video shared on Facebook by Jay Scotch Automobile Ltd, in which a motorist alleged that officials stopped him over the “TRD 4×4 Sport Tacoma” inscription on his vehicle.
In the video, the driver said the officials insisted that he needed a permit because the inscription amounted to an advertisement.
He explained that the marking was not placed on the vehicle for advertising purposes but came with the Toyota Tacoma when it was purchased in the United States.
“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,” the motorist said.
He further alleged that the officials threatened to damage his side mirror if he failed to produce the requested 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.
Questioning the justification for the demand, the driver maintained that the inscription was part of the vehicle’s original specifications.
“Something that came in like this from the abroad or from USA where it was bought from,” he said.
“So, I don’t know. Why are you asking me for a permit because of this TRD written on this Tacoma?” he added.
Lagos Task Force disowns alleged operatives
Reacting to an inquiry about the incident on Saturday, the Director of Press and Public Affairs of the Lagos State Task Force, Raheem Gbadeyanka, distanced the agency from the alleged encounter.
Gbadeyanka said motorists and other residents frequently mistake personnel from different government agencies for Task Force operatives, particularly when they encounter officers wearing camouflage uniforms.
He urged members of the public to establish the identity of law enforcement personnel before attributing their actions to the agency.
“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.
The spokesperson also reiterated that the Task Force no longer handles traffic-related enforcement following 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,” Gbadeyanka said.
He stressed that demanding permits for inscriptions on vehicles was outside the agency’s statutory responsibilities.
“It is also not part of our mandates to request for permits for inscriptions on vehicles,” he added.
Gbadeyanka further said operatives of the agency would not stop motorists for traffic offences under the leadership of its 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.
In April 2026, the Lagos State Police Command announced the withdrawal of the Task Force from traffic control and traffic contravention enforcement across the state, while retaining its other statutory responsibilities.
The police also advised motorists to verify the identities of personnel and agencies before making allegations concerning traffic enforcement.
