The Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts has condemned the attack on its enforcement officers by commercial motorcycle operators and hoodlums along Broad Street by Habib Oki Street, Marina.
The Special Adviser, Mr. Gbenga Oyerinde, was reacting to the unwarranted attack on its officers while lawful duties to dislodge Okada operators, who park indiscriminately and obstruct vehicular movement at road junctions around Broad Street and its environs.
Oyerinde noted that the recent attack on CBD personnel by hoodlums and dispatch riders will no longer be condoned, warning Okada operators, dispatch riders and tricycle operators within the Lagos Island Business District to obey traffic rules and regulations in accordance with Section 3 of the Lagos Road Traffic Law 2012.
He frowned at the recalcitrant attitude of Okada operators who flout the stipulated traffic laws of the State guiding their operations, stressing that the ban on Okada and Tricycle operations on some roads within the Island CBD is still in force and the CBD will enforce it to the letter.
While reading the riot act to those in the habit of attacking government officials on lawful duties, Oyerinde said that no amount of resistance and intimidation by hoodlums in the name of dispatch riders or tricycle operators can make the State Government go back on its resolve to enforce traffic and environmental laws of the State.
“We cannot continue to condone this lawlessness by okada operators henceforth. We have given security agencies including our enforcement officers marching orders to fish out perpetrators of this dastardly act and strictly enforce the traffic law banning commercial motorcyclists and tricycles operations within the CBD. No more flagrant disobedience of law and order would be allowed within the Central Business District”, the Special Adviser said.
Enforcement officers dislodging dispatch riders who use their motorcycles to obstruct the free flow of traffic at junctions were attacked with dangerous weapons by hoodlums, leading to vandalisation of official vehicles, injuries and subsequent hospitalisation of a member of the team, who sustained a deep cut on his head.
Five motorcycles used by the rampaging dispatch riders were impounded and owners will be prosecuted accordingly.