Lagos State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has decried the increasing rise in impunity and lawlessness by some security operatives providing escorts to VIPs on the road.
It said the continued disregard to traffic laws by the VIPs’ escorts is inimical to safety and free flow of traffic.
The Sector Commander, Olusegun Ogungbemide made this known, following the traffic gridlock caused by one-way driving by some police escort of a supposed VIP at Ibafo area on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at about 0700hrs on Monday, and the attack on policemen attached to the FRSC operatives from Ibafo Outpost who were trying to ease the gridlock.
“The FRSC Personnel on traffic control from Ibafo outpost, noticed a standstill traffic situation on the outward Lagos section of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and made effort to track the cause of the heavy movement, they discovered that at Mountain Top University area, a convoy of four vehicles with Police escort were driving against the flow of traffic thereby causing gridlock within the narrowed lane.
The FRSC team led by the Outpost head approached the police operatives, insisted that the vehicles turn back and follow their rightful lanes but the drivers and the escort refused to obey their plea rather one of the Policemen pointed his riffle at our men and threatened to shoot them.
Also another of the policemen sighted a Marshal who was recording the happenings around the scene, he rushed to the Marshal with his riffle, snatched the phone and smashed it on the road damaging the phone completely.
Eventually, the police men realised that the FRSC operatives weren’t going to give in, they arrogantly turned back and followed the right lane.
He said Corps Marshal has frowned at this act and therefore directed that the affected operatives and their vehicles be prosecuted for traffic violation and assault on its personnel.
It is a known fact that the high echelon of all agencies are never in support of the misconduct of these disgruntled few.
Ogungbemide also warned that this lawlessness will no longer be accepted and promised to prosecute any security operative who attacks any of its personnel while discharging their lawful duties to safeguard lives on the roads. He finally advised motorists to desist from driving against the flow of traffic, and to always adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations.