Commercial activities were hampered for the better part of yesterday at Cele, Iyana-Isolo and Toyota bus stops on the Oshodi/Apapa expressway and on the Mile-Two /Badagry expressway, following a protest by transporters over alleged extortion and high handedness by officials of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA.
The protesters took over the busy expressways, displaying placards and set up bonfires on the expressway inward Oshodi, preventing commercial motorcyclists and tricycle operators from conveying passengers.
Some other motorists, who were oblivious of the protests, had their windscreens shattered, while their passengers were ordered to alight from the vehicles.
The protesters chanted “No more task force,” displaying placards with inscriptions such as “End LASTMA brutality”, “End Task Force wahala”, “End LASTMA blocking, blocking with Task Force”, “End Task Force in Lagos State.”
The Task Force officials were alleged to have routinely and indiscriminately seized their vehicles and afterwards were forced to pay huge amounts before they would release their impounded vehicles.
A bus driver, Sefiu, alleged that LASTMA officials impounded two of his vehicles without any justification.
In his words “I paid N55,000 to recover one of them. They are always harassing us. The road we ply to the airport has been blocked for repairs, yet when we take alternative routes they will claim it is one-way and they’ll arrest us.”
Another protester, who identified himself simply as Kingsley, said: “Their wahala is too much. We want Governor Babajide (Sanwo-Olu) to help us.”
A bus driver Chibuike as he identified himself and also a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, accused the officials of extortion urging the state government to intervene.
Also, Mukaila, who claimed to have recently paid N22,500 to get his bus back, said: “If we argue with them, they would beat us up and tear-gas us. We are tired. Do they want us to start stealing and be carrying guns? We are tired of their extortion, and constant harassment.”
Another driver, Opeyemi, said he was also protesting because a vehicle he got on hire purchase barely two months ago was impounded by the Task Force officials.
In his words: “I paid N250,000 to get the vehicle back on Monday”. Opeyemi also alleged that three commercial drivers were killed on Sunday at the Cele Bus stop while a commercial bus driver and a commercial motorcyclist sustained deep cuts in the process.
Unfortunately, hoodlums hijacked the situation and attacked anyone they saw at sight. They dispossessed helpless commuters of cash, telephones, handbags, and other valuables.
Later at the scene, shattered windscreens littered the ground while the stranded commuters were seen running away from the hoodlums.
Meanwhile, last week a similar protest had occurred at Iyana-Oba, Idimu, Igando, down to Iyana Ipaja.
The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force), finally stated that it had arrested 16 miscreants who were suspected to have masterminded the violence and attack on commuters in Cele and Iyana Isolo bus stops.
The miscreants, according to a statement by the task force, capitalised on the peaceful no work protest embarked upon by drivers of commercial buses on Oshodi-Mile 12 Expressway to unleash mayhem on commuters.
The statement signed by its Head, Public Affairs Unit, Mr. Femi Moliki, read: “The hoodlums were caught molesting passers-by and destroying public facilities. Machetes, charms, cudgels, and other harmful weapons were recovered from them.
“The Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, CSP Shola Jejeloye, who was in the area to maintain law and order as well as listen to some of the aggrieved protesters, called for calm that government would address their grievances.
“He added that no official of Lagos State Task Force operates between Toyota and Mile 2, adding that the agency is presently rejigging its operation to prevent reported incidences of illegal taskforce operatives in the metropolis.
“He said he had listened to all complaints against the officials of the agency, noting that genuine complaints would be addressed.
“It was learned that the drivers decided to protest the installation of signage on roads that used to serve as bi-directional ways as One-way.”
Hopefully, attention will not be diverted from the real reason for the protest to those who vandalised properties.
