The Lagos State Taskforce has expressed concern over the rate street trading gives room for traffic robbery in some parts of the state.
The chairman of the agency,CSP Shola Jejeloye, disclosed this in his office at Oshodi, where he briefed his officers and men on the need for them to expand their horizons and increase their output by carrying out the laid down responsibilities.
He said:“There are many instances where some street traders carry out their activities during the day and when it gets dark they pull out dangerous weapons like knives and sharp objects to rob motorists held up in traffic.
“If we can ensure that this issue is taken care of at the roots, it will drastically reduce the cases of traffic robbery being reported daily. We have received series complaints from motorists and we will make sure this heinous acts become a thing of the past” Jejeloye stated.
He reiterated his agency’s zero tolerance for vices that have negative and harmful effects to the environment and actions carried out by recalcitrant law breakers with disturbing effects on all and sundry in the state.
He highlighted the vices to include; displaying of wares by the road side, selling on kerb, illegal blocking of streets for social activities, flagrant pollution of the environment, indiscriminate parking of vehicles on roads, usage of unapproved bus and Okada bus stops, street trading, illegal collection of fees on the highways and people constituting nuisance with impunity within the state.
Insisting that sanity would be restored in Lagos,Jejeloye urged his officers and men to carry out an all round operations in areas like Iyana-Ipaja, Oshodi, Ikeja Along, Yaba and other areas where Lagosians are made to face unnecessary traffic jam and hardship caused by traders who display their wares on the Road meant for easy passage of vehicles along that routes.
“It has become worrisome having to spend man hours in traffic caused by unauthorized display of wares by traders on our roads thereby creating an artificial bottleneck. We have to put a stop to that by ensuring that activities involving buying and selling are taken off the roads and into the marketing complex designed for such.
“We are going to make series of arrests in the coming week and they will all be made to face mobile court immediately for prosecution. This will serve as a deterrent to others to desist from carrying out activities that are detrimental to others. The roads, inner streets and highways belong to us all and it is in our best interest to make sure we safe guard and preserve them for our use” .