…Fake enforcement officers nabbed
By Moses Akaigwe
The Lagos State Government plans to collaborate with the state command of Man O’ War, in the area of intelligence gathering and enforcement. This is in a bid to continually improve transport operations in the state.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola, revealed yesterday, while receiving the Lagos State Commander of the Organization at Alausa, Ikeja, saying the partnership will complement the operations of Law Enforcement Officers in the State.
Toriola said that the transport sector is the wheel of any economy and to ensure smooth running of the sector, it has to be free from all encumbrances such as traffic, street urchins’ activities.
He added that traffic management needs total compliance which is why the state government has continued to invest in technology and human enforcement to ensure citizens comply with traffic rules and regulations.
The Permanent Secretary reiterated the need to collaborate with the voluntary organisation to monitor road furniture in the state, such as the signage, truck barriers, bus shelters, traffic lights which are sometimes vandalized by hoodlums.
He also stressed the importance of working hand in hand with the body to dislodge the roads of hoodlums and illegal enforcement operatives across the State.
Responding, the State Commander of Man O’ War, Mr. Lucky Onimowo, thanked the Permanent Secretary for the warm reception, expressing the readiness of the organization to synergize with the Ministry.
He said the presence of the organisation in all the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state would make the collaboration work effectively, stressing that Man O’ War will continue to work with all relevant agencies for the advancement of Lagos State.
In a related development, the Lagos State Government has disclosed that the efforts to curb the extortion of commercial transport operators in parts of the state have continued to yield results following the arrest of miscreants disguised as enforcement officers in Igando.
The Transport Operation Compliance Unit of the Ministry of Transportation on Thursday apprehended six of such illegal enforcement officers while extorting Mr. Oladokun Rafiu, a tipper driver on his way to offload sand.
Condemning the actions of the apprehended persons, the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, stated that the state government would fish out other individuals disguising as law enforcement officials as their actions taint the reputation of the government and hinder economic development.
The Transport Commissioner assured that the state government would not relent in its effort to sanitize the transport sector and eliminate man made encumbrances.
He warned that anyone caught will be prosecuted in line with the Lagos State Traffic Law 2018.
Earlier, the tipper driver, Oladokun, revealed that the apprehended men were just one set of those stationed at the various illegal toll points where they collect up to N1000 and more from drivers. He expressed his gratitude to the Lagos State Government for its timely intervention on the matter.
The apprehended men have been handed over to the Police for prosecution.