10th February, 2022
The Lagos State Taskforce has disclosed that it arrested over 12,429 hoodlums and miscreants in different parts of the metropolis in 2021.
Chairman, Taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye disclosed this on Thursday during a clearing up exercise Mushin/Olosha, an exercise carried out by the taskforce, in conjunction with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, LAGESC.
The clearing exercise was meant to get rid of traders who display their wares on the road, thus, impeding the flow of traffic.
The clearing exercise lasted for about three hours to ensure that the exercise was thorough and effective in order to prevent the return of the traders to the same spot after completion.
The Chairman explained that this had become necessary and inevitable as Lagosians had thrown in series of complaints through various channels asking the state government to come to their aid to put a stop to the selfish actions of roadside traders which had become a norm in that axis.
“Mushin/Olosha axis has been known for this practice for quite a while even before the completion of the road leading to Oshodi. We have appealed to traders to desist from displaying their goods on the road side and on the walkways but it has fallen on deaf ears, hence the need to clear them out forcefully.
“Vehicles will now be able to ply freely from Mushin to Oshodi unhindered while the operation will put a total stop to indiscriminate disposal of waste on the roads and gutters.” he said.
Jjeloye said that the exercise would be a continuous one as officials of both agencies would continually monitor the major highways and inner roads to prevent a return of traders to the roadside.
“it will be continuous and also be extended to other parts of the State. The traffic caused due to the partial closure of the roads by these traders creates serious backlogs to adjoining roads and also gives room for traffic robbery. We won’t condone this economic waste anymore. Any one who wants to display his/her wares or sell goods should move into the main market complex or he risks being arrested,” Jejeloye warned.
Similarly, a statement issued by the agency’s Director, Press and Public Affairs, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, said Jejeloye proceeded with his men to Costain/Iponrin axis of the State where 84 okadas were impounded for flouting the state government’s laws guiding their operations.
He vowed to clampdown on recalcitrant okada riders plying restricted routes in the State flouting traffic laws, insisting that nothing would be left to chance until all okada riders towed the line of best practices and ensure that sanity is entrenched in the system.
According to him, “I have said it before and I will say it again that the clampdown on all recalcitrant okada riders in Lagos will not stop until they start to behave well and comply with State laws guiding Okada operations. Driving on the State highways is prohibited for Okada below 200cc engine capacity, but you see a lot of them plying these routes with total disregard for the law. We will keep impounding their okada and vehicles driving against traffic till they learn to obey traffic laws of the State.”
Consequently, in order to rid the State of criminal elements who rob commuters in traffic at Ikeja Along down to Ile-Zik and its environs, The Lagos State Taskforce has demolished shanties and removed canoe monuments which served as a hideout for suspected criminals which was made known to the agency through series of complains by innocent members of the public.
Commuters who constantly ply that axis claimed that suspected traffic robbers after carrying out their illegal acts usually run into the canoe monument erected to beautify the City, but being used by criminals as a hideout and leeway to avoid being caught by the long arm of the law.
Other supposed safe havens for criminals were also demolished along that axis.
Meanwhile, the agency in her bid to stop the ugly incidents of robbery, arson, and illegal activities in the State had arrested over 12,429 suspects in 2021, out of which 11,412 were charged to court.
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A total number of 10,959 were eventually convicted and fined for various offences while 166 of them were cautioned and discharged.
However, Jejeloye admonished members of the public that the fight against making Lagos great again is not only for the agency, but for the generality of all Lagosians.