Dare Babalola
The Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) has cautioned individuals and syndicates involved in illegal parking extortion at Computer Village, Ikeja, to cease such activities immediately or face legal consequences.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Dunkwu Divine, Head, Public Affiars LASPA, the General Manager of the agency, Mrs. Adebisi Adelabu, issued stern warning, revealing that the Authority uncovered a syndicate involving fraudsters and touts who are illicitly collecting parking fees from motorists in the Computer Village area of Ikeja, under false pretences.
Adelabu noted that it had come to the notice of LASPA that unauthorised parking operators in the Ikeja under-bridge and Computer Village area are allegedly charging drivers ₦1,000 to park.
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 to 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 the Lagos State Parking Authority.
“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, she said, LASPA condemns 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 urges 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 stressing that one engaging in illegal parking activities will be arrested and prosecuted without leniency.
She therefore advises Lagos motorists and visitors to the Computer Village area to remain vigilant and patronize only LASPA registered parking operators with valid identification and receipts.
The general public are also urged to report any suspected individual or groups engaging in ilegal parking operating to LASPA through its official channels: Instagram; Laspa_Lagos, Twitter: LASPA_MOT, Facebook; Lagos state parking authority or call 070 000LASPA, 02012275230, 02012275231 or whatsapp, 09160005037, 09160005047.
