CITIZENS COMPASS– A perssonnel of Lagos State Environmental and Special Offenses Unit (Taskforce), has sustained injuries following an attack from a butcher in Jakande/Iyana-Ejigbo area of Lagos.
The incident occured on Friday, August 19, 2022 when the operatives were enforcing the ban on commercial motorcycles in the area.
The operatives also impounded over 300 motorcycles during the week-long enforcement.
The Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye who disclosed this on Monday, said not less than 120 motor bikes were impounded around Jakande and Iyana-Ejigbo.
It was learnt that the butcher reached for a knife and attacked one of the personnel in the course of the exercise
The Chairman said the operatives were provoked by the knife wielding butcher who injured one of them.
Jejeloye described the incident as one of the hazards being experienced in the course of the job saying “These are some of the professional hazards we face daily on the job” Jejeloye stated.
The Chairman said the Agency also carried out numerous raids and operations in areas like Oko-Oba, Local Airport Road and Abeokuta Expressway where it had been reported that some riders have been operating despite the ban.
Giving a breakdown of the exercise, the chairman said 45 bikes were impounded along the Abeokuta Expressway, 113 bikes were impounded at Oko-Oba with 29 suspects arrested.
Also, 15 bikes were seized at Local Airport Road in Ikeja while 82 bikes were impounded at Apapa-Oshodi Expressway during the week-long raid.
Speaking on the recent activities of the Agency, The Chairman, he highlighted that the enforcement of the ban would be a continuous one due to the fact that there are still some of them who are bent on riding their bikes with no regard to the laid down traffic rules of the State.
CSP Jejeloye said the level of compliance on Abeokuta Expressway was impressive. “The Agency still recorded confiscation of 45 bikes along that axis in the past one week while 113 bikes were impounded at Oko-Oba and 29 suspects were arrested. 15 bikes were also seized at Local Airport Road in Ikeja while 82 bikes were impounded at Apapa-Oshodi Expressway during the week-long raid.
“The level of compliance of the ban on okada activities is very impressive but we still have some rebellious operators who ply in the evenings or sometimes weekends, thinking we are going to be relaxed at those times. We have corrected that thought by impounding the bikes and arresting both riders and passengers who will be made to face the court immediately”
The Chairman urged his men and officers to gear up for more activities following the recent announcement by the State Government on the inclusion of three Local Government Area and Five Local Council Development Areas to list of banned locations of okada operations.
He maintained that though the Agency had never rested on its oars to ensure that sanity is restored on Lagos Roads, more efforts would be put in collaboration with other Police Divisions and security agencies to stamp out okada operations in those areas come September.
In a related development, The Lagos State Taskforce has raided some abandoned buildings at Cameron Road in Lagos where reports had been received about the activities of some suspected criminal minds who make use of the abandoned building as a safe haven.
CSP Jejeloye who led a team of operatives in a four hour raid disclosed that the activities of criminal elements in the State would not be condoned in any form.
“intelligence reports have it that criminal elements in this area make use of these abandoned buildings as a take off point and resting place before and after their acitivities that is why we have carried out this intense raids to put a stop to it. We have arrested some suspects who will be interrogated and then brought before the Magistrate in court.”
The Chairman appealed to all well meaning Lagosians to report any suspicious or unusual activity to the Agency or to the nearest Police Station as security of the State is a collective effort which requires all hands on deck to achieve optimum safety and comfort.
