Lagos task force denies allegation that officers forced their way into Agric estate

The Lagos State Taskforce has rejected a report accusing its officers of forcing their way into a compound and an Okada garage during an operation at Agric Farm Estate in Ojo Local Government Area.

Director of Public Affairs Abdulraheem Gbadeyan said the August 25, 2026 operation followed a formal petition from four Community Development Associations: Olugbemi, Habeeb, Aiyedoto and Otubu. The groups had petitioned Taskforce chairman CSP Adetayo Akerele on May 23 and sent a reminder on July 30.

The communities complained that commercial motorcycle operators, widely known as Okada, were using the estate as a base after operating on highways during the day. They also alleged indiscriminate defecation near drainage channels, environmental pollution, reckless riding, blocked inner roads and injuries involving residents, pedestrians and schoolchildren.

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Following these persistent concerns, the agency thereafter conducted strategic surveillance and assessment of the situation before the enforcement operation of August 25, 2026.

Gbadeyan said residents had tried to regulate the operators with numbered vests bearing the estate’s name, but faced resistance and attacks involving dangerous weapons. He said the agency carried out surveillance and an assessment before the enforcement operation.

The task force said the arrests of suspected illegal operators and the seizure of motorcycles formed part of its wider enforcement against Okada operations on highways, bridges and other restricted routes. Gbadeyan defended Akerele’s record and rejected attempts to portray the operation as a personal vendetta or arbitrary action, saying the agency’s role was to protect public safety, maintain order and enforce Lagos laws.

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The Taskforce therefore rejects any attempt to portray legitimate enforcement activities as personal vendettas or arbitrary actions.