Lagos State Task Force to clampdown on illegal activities of local government traffic officials
The operatives of the Lagos State Task Force, is set to begin a total clampdown on illegal activities of Local Government Traffic Officials on all roads across the State.
According to the Chairman, Lagos State Task Force, SP Olayinka Egbeyemi, the clampdown begins on Monday, May 28.
He noted that the activities of the notorious traffic officials on the roads have been worrisome as cases of motorists being extorted were reported to his office daily.
SP Egbeyemi said: “This total clampdown by the Agency was on the directive of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police CP Imohimi Edgal.
“The Commissioner of Police was not comfortable with the rate of extortion of motorists by these notorious traffic officials who claimed to be enforcing the Lagos State Road Traffic Law of 2012.
” As a responsive and responsible government every rights of Lagosians including motorists is paramount to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.”
He reiterated that the ban of all Local Governments traffic officials from controlling or engaging in traffic duties by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode still stands.
“Indeed there are traffic unit in all the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas. However, traffic management is not a responsibility for the third tier of government. We have reported instances of illegal arrest, extortions and general impunity on the part of the Local Government operatives, ” he said.
The Chairman further quoted the Commissioner of Police saying “Only the Nigerian Police, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Taskforce and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) can perform traffic duties”
SP Egbeyemi urged motorists to always adhere strictly to traffic regulations and report to the nearest Police Station any illegal activities of these notorious traffic officials, adding that there had never been a time government considered ceding its traffic management responsibilities to any tier of government.
He however enjoined Chairmen of Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas of the State to maintain zero tolerance for illegal traffic duties around their respective council as any traffic official caught by the Agency would be seriously death with in accordance with the law.
