…Taskforce Will Stick to Its Stand on Serenity, Safety and Best Practices – Akerele
The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Taskforce) has once again lived up to its mandate of maintaining safer highways and a more orderly environment across the State.
In line with the directives of the Lagos State Government on the enforcement of the ban on commercial motorcycles on highways and other restricted routes, the Agency apprehended 309 commercial motorcycles operating illegally along the ECOWAS Road corridor and cleared the axis of traffic impediments, street trading, shanties, makeshift shops, kiosks, and other environmental nuisances that had become commonplace along the route.
The enforcement exercise, strategically executed by the Lagos State Taskforce and planned by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources with the support of the Lagos State Police Command, forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the security architecture of Lagos State. The operation is also aimed at denying criminal elements the opportunity to operate under the guise of illegal commercial activities, while supporting the State Government’s THEMES Plus Agenda and the efforts of the Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Tijani, to tackle emerging security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry and other forms of criminality.
The exercise covered strategic locations along the ECOWAS Road, including Orile-Iganmu Bus Stop, Suuru-Alaba Bus Stop, Mile 2 Underbridge, Mazamaza Bus Stop, Festac First Gate, Iyana-Ira, Abule-Ado, Alakija Bus Stop, Iyana-Iba, Alaba Rago, Old Ojo Road and Okoko Bus Stop, among other locations.
At the conclusion of the operation, 309 commercial motorcycles were impounded. Enforcement officers also dismantled and removed several illegal kiosks, makeshift stalls, abandoned household items, domestic animals obstructing public spaces, unapproved plank structures, indiscriminately displayed building materials and other obstructions on the highways, thereby restoring order, improving traffic flow and enhancing environmental compliance across the affected areas.
The Taskforce reiterated that all impounded motorcycles would be processed for forfeiture to the Lagos State Government through the courts in accordance with the provisions of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.
The Agency reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining enforcement operations across the State until full compliance with extant laws is achieved.
Speaking after the exercise, the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Adetayo Akerele, described the level of lawlessness and indiscriminate development along the corridor as alarming.
He noted that illegal ticketing, street trading and the activities of recalcitrant commercial motorcycle operators had created an environment that encourages criminality, traffic congestion and environmental degradation, leaving innocent Lagosians to bear the consequences.
“No stone will be left unturned in our determination to restore sanity. It is high time criminal elements operating in Lagos State either desist from these unlawful activities or relocate. We will continue to enforce the law without fear or favour in order to guarantee a safer, cleaner and more orderly Lagos for everyone,” Akerele stated.
