Individuals and syndicates involved in illegal parking extortion at the Computer Village area of Ikeja have been warned to desist or face the full weight of the law.
This caution was given by the General Manager of the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA), Mrs Adebisi Adelabu, in a statement.
She said her organisation has uncovered a racket where fraudsters, working in collaboration with touts, are illegally collecting parking fees of up to N1,000 from motorists under false pretences.
Mrs Adelabu further revealed that some operatives of the Lagos Central Business District (CBD), in Ikeja, often clamp down on the illegally parked vehicles, either removing their number plates or arranging for the vehicles to be towed away, making vehicle owners pay a significant fine to recover both their vehicles and license plates.
She emphasised that the management and regulation of parking within the Ikeja business district, Computer Village and the entire state is not within the statutory purview of the CBD or any group of touts but rests exclusively with LASPA.
“We are aware of these fraudulent activities, and we want to make it clear that LASPA is the only government body legally mandated to oversee parking in Lagos State,” she said.
Continuing, the GM of LASPA condemned these illicit activities in the strongest terms, describing them as a disservice to the public and an embarrassment to the efforts of the state government at creating a seamless and orderly parking ecosystem.
The management of LASPA therefore urged all perpetrators engaged in illegal parking activities to stop immediately, adding that the Authority has revamped its monitoring and enforcement operations in the Computer Village and the State environs.
While stressing that anyone engaging in illegal parking activities will be arrested and prosecuted without leniency, Mrs Adelabu advised Lagos motorists and visitors to the Computer Village area to remain vigilant and patronise only LASPA-registered parking operators with valid identification and receipts.
The general public was also urged to report any suspected individuals or groups engaging in illegal parking operating in LASPA.