23rd September, 2011
The Lagos State government has begun the evacuation of abandoned vehicles across Lagos, southwest Nigeria, with the removal of over 50 abandoned vehicles on Monday.
Officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, backed by joint military taskforce, OP-MESA stormed Iyana Oworo area of the state and towed away abandoned vehicles parked indiscriminately in the motor park.
Some of the vehicles towed included an abandoned trailer, oil tanker and buses, among others, while the military taskforce provided security for the Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIO while evacuating the abandoned vehicles.
Chairman of the State Motor Parking, Abandoned and Disused Vehicles Committee, Prince Olubisi Adedokun led the VIOs to some parts of the state yesterday, an operation which culminated in the towing of about 50 disused vehicles.
Other state officials involved in the operation included the Permanent Secretary in the The VIO officers and top government officials made use of the newly launch auto inspector to detect vehicles civil servants’ vehicle and towed at least seven of them whose driving documents had expired.
It was gathered that the directive to tow the vehicles of civil servants without valid driving documents came from the Head of Service, Mr. Adesegun Ogunlewe after issuing a circular to that effect.
The civil servants were caught unaware as VIO swooped on vehicles belonging to staff of the Ministries of Special Duties and Local Government and started using the auto inspector to check the vehicles and impounded those found wanting.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga