Over 155 commercial motorcycles and 17 commercial buses were impounded at ‘Ikeja Along’ area of Lagos in the last two months for violating traffic rules.
Mr Taofiq Adebayo, Head, Public Affairs Unit of the Task Force, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday that the exercise, which began since mid-May, was meant to control traffic and enable Lagos residents get to their destinations in the shortest possible time.
“Our major objective at that spot is to control traffic. However, our major headache at that point has been the activities of commercial motorcycles picking and dropping passengers on the highway.
“The Lagos State Task Force has impounded over 155 commercial motorcycles on that route and 17 commercial buses plying one way since middle of May when we commenced the exercise.
“If you notice, the road is narrow at that point, as we have many people crossing the railway, motorists driving toward the airport and people also crossing the highway.
“We only want to decongest the traffic, that’s why we have our men stationed there. The number would have been higher but we observed that they have started complying with traffic rules.
“There is no bus-stop at that point, `Ikeja along’ but the commercial motorcycles prefer to pick and drop passengers from the road side just because they feel they will make more money during the working hours.
“We are still monitoring and this exercise is being carried out all over the state to make sure no one, including private vehicles, drive on one way and BRT lanes,” he said.
According to Adebayo, the Lagos State Task Force is also working with the Lagos State Government Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) to rid the state of street traders who disturb the free flow of traffic.
He said the exercise would continue with the new Executive Order from the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to clamp down on traffic offenders, NAN reported.
