21st September, 2010
Thousands of commuters were yesterday stranded in Ikotun and Ejigbo areas of Lagos state following the protest strike embarked upon by the commercial bus drivers in the area over alleged harassment by the officials of Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA.
The drivers claimed that LASTMA offocials have been intimidating, harassing and extorting money from them. these acts they were no longer going to tolerate.
The commuters most affected by the strike were those travelling to Mushin, Cele and Oshodi. Most of the residents were forced to trek to their destinations, while those who could not afford the exorbitant charge of motorcycle operators known as okada resorted to trekking.
Speaking with PMNEWS, some of the passengers lamented their plight, stressing that the protest the drivers embarked upon was unnecessary as they could have used another avenue to dialoque with the officials of LASTMA.
The striking drivers who spoke to PMNEWS claimed that when ever they stopped at bus stops, along Ikotun-Ejigbo road, the officials of LASTMA will impound their vehicles which could only be released with payment huge sums of money. “At the end, we will go home with nothing,†one of the drivers lamented.
The zonal coordinator of LASTMA, Ejigbo branch, Akeem Adeosun described the accusation of the drivers as laughable. He said they have refused to make use of the park provided for them and they always disobey traffic rules which LASTMA officials were not ready to compromise.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe