The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday deployed 1,000 policemen to different parts of Lagos to control traffic and enforce traffic nuisance.
Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu disclosed this on Tuesday, revealing that 357 private and commercial vehicles had been impounded for one-way drive, plying BRT lane and obstruction on highways.
Odumosu, who spoke in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria added that in order to further enforce compliance with the traffic rules, Special Anti One Way Taskforce has been established at each Area Command which comprises Police, LASTMA and Federal Road Safety Corps.
“Similarly, Special unit on Anti One Way has been established with Lagos State Taskforce and the Government Monitoring Team (GMT). They are all being empowered and directed to fully go after One Way vehicular traffic and okada violators.
“They are being accompanied by Mobile Court for instant trail and media teams for coverage and exposure of One Way violators to the world. As it was done last ember months, the command is mobilising and deploying one thousand (1000) personnel for traffic control and enforcement,” he said.
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Odumosu expressed concern on the high level of violation of traffic regulations in Lagos State and the statutory roles of the Police in the enforcement of the traffic regulations and crime control as required.
He said it was not out of point to state that the aftermath of the #EndSARS violence in the state had, to an extent, encouraged lawlessness, gross violation and disregard to traffic rules across the state.
“This has been so worrisome due to the upsurge in road crashes and accidents that have claimed many lives, rendered many injured and properties destroyed in the state. The Police Command has also observed that the violation of traffic rules by both private and public owners of vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles has been detrimental and inimical to social and economic development and general security of the state. These are not acceptable any longer,” he said.
He warned the general public that henceforth, any vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles plying on BRT lanes and/or driving on “One Way” would be impounded and forfeited to the government respectively while the owners will be charged to court.
Equally, those who are in the habit of repairing their faulty vehicles on the road/spots where they get spoilt and create avoidable traffic obstruction must desist from this as full wrath of the law will henceforth be applied. In addition, it’s criminal for anyone to cover his number plates on his vehicle and use siren. This is not only against traffic regulation but also criminal.
“Same goes to the use of siren. The command will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any violators accordingly,” he added.
In another development, Odumosu said the command has re-launched its strategies to fight crimes and criminality across the state and bring to book the hoodlums that hijacked the EndSARS protest in the state.
According to him, most of the hoodlums were highly suspected to have been responsible for killing, burning both public and private facilities, including police stations, stealing and looting shopping outlets as most of their faces were identified in the videos of the atrocities.
The commissioner said on 15th November, 2020, the command commenced raiding of identified black spots in all the 14 Area Commands in Lagos State where 798 suspects were arrested, disclosing that the incriminating items recovered from the suspects included locally-made guns and life cartridges, substances suspected to be cocaine, weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and some items looted from the Ajah Area Command and stations that were burnt by hoodlums during the recent EndSARS violence in Lagos State
