Three police officers and a naval rating are among traffic offenders whose vehicles have been impounded in an enforcement carried out by the Anti-One-way and Other Traffic Offences Squad of the Lagos State government on Friday.
The anti-one-way squad was inaugurated last week and immediately went into action, as major roads in the state continue to witness increased lawlessness by motorists, especially commercial operators.
The traffic offenders met their waterloo during the squad’s operations along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and Mile 2 area of the state.
No fewer than 42 vehicles, including two articulated trucks and commercial tricycles, driving against traffic direction were impounded by the squad led by Shola Jejeloye (SP), commander of policemen in Governor’s Monitoring Team (GMT).
The Friday enforcement was jointly carried out by the squad and men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
The squad was specially created by the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, at the instance of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, with the specific mandate to arrest and impound vehicles plying one-way, BRT lanes and also commercial motorcycles operating in restricted areas.
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The mission assumed a dangerous turn when a commercial bus driver driving against traffic on Cele Bridge made an attempt to ram into the operational vehicles of the anti-one-way squad in a bid to avoid arrest.
Rather than stop, the driver of the bus, which was fully loaded with passengers, dangerously meandered through the gaps in the convoy and made an attempt to hit officers on sight. The bus revved to a stop when the reckless driver hit a stationary water truck. The driver fled immediately, leaving the passengers to their fate.
Also, two police officers driving a Pickup marked “Escort” on a one-way lane at Toyota Bus Stop along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway were accosted by the squad. The vehicle was impounded alongside the car of a naval rating driving against traffic close to Itire roundabout. Another police officer driving a private Toyota Camry car was arrested by the squad in Mile 2 area.
Other areas where the enforcement was carried out include Ikeja, Maryland, Fadeyi, Jibowu, Palm Grove and Yaba. Various commercial buses and tricycles obstructing flow of traffic at various locations were also arrested and towed to the taskforce office in Alausa.
Speaking during the operation, the GMT commander, Jejeloye, vowed that the squad would not relent in its bid to achieve its mandates and return sanity on the roads.
Jejeloye described one-way driving as a security issue, saying the menace usually endangered the lives of road users obeying traffic laws. He added that many commuters had lost their lives as a result of one-way driving.
“We are again sounding a note of warning to motorists who do not want to obey the Lagos State traffic laws. We will not rest on our oars until we ensure road users follow the regulations and bring about free flow of traffic,” he said.
