Attack on BRT buses: Ikorodu monarchs seek more security presence

Traditional rulers in Ikorodu have expressed concern over the destruction of 48 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), vehicles vandalised by miscreants on Ikorodu Road, describing the act as “barbaric.”

The monarchs called on the state government and the police authorities in the state to deploy more security personnel to the area in order to avoid a recurrence of violence and killings of residents.

The Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Adewale Shotobi and The Ranodu of Imota, Oba Ajibade Agoro, who led other traditional rulers in the area, made the call, on Tuesday, when they paid a sympathy visit to the Primero Transport Services, operator of the damaged BRT buses, at its headquarters, in Ikorodu over the loss suffered.

It would be recalled that last Wednesday, some miscreants went on rampage and vandalised some of the BRT buses in Maryland bus stop, on Ikorodu Road, following the death of a hawker allegedly killed by a fast moving truck in an attempt to evade arrest from taskforce.

The cost for the repair of the damaged buses is estimated to be N139 million.

Speaking on behalf of other traditional rulers, Agoro, lamented that the effect of the damage was currently being borne, the more by residents of Ikorodu and its environs.

He, therefore, appealed to residents to always explore amicable means of settling differences, rather than taking the laws into their own hands.

“While we sympathise with you (Primero) on the loss, we condemn the act in its entirety, and we call on the police authourities to rise up to the occasion by nipping in the bud any criminal acts, because, we the traditional rulers are helpless.

“We are concerned because this buses ply our routes thereby, helping our people to transact their businesses with ease. We can’t really quantify the loss.”

The private transport company, estimated the loss recorded in the attack on its 48 buses out of the 434 fleet, to cost N139 millions to repair.

The transport firm, operates BRT services on the Ikorodu-CMS route

Managing Director of the transport company, Mr. Fola Tinubu, while recounting the incident, lamented, saying the attack on the buses, was a huge threat to investments in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub.

Tinubu, noted that the loss incurred was a disincentive to private investment in Nigeria.

While thanking the monarchs for their concern, Tinubu said it was a clear setback to investment drive, stressing that Nigerian public must be educated to draw a line between private investment and public assets.

He stressed that no amount of provocation would justify the destruction of the buses which had provided over 2,500 jobs since commencement of operations in November 2015 and still counting.

Tinubu, appealed to the monarchs to prevail on the people on a need to eschew violence at every provocation and embrace peaceful means of resolving differences at all times.

He, however, disclosed that the police have arrested about 15 suspects from different divisions for their involvement in the attack believing that justice would be done to serve as deterrent to others.