Policemen Driving Against Traffic Crush Two Okada Passengers To Death In Ogun State - PHOTOS

Some policemen allegedly driving against the traffic, on Monday, crushed two motorcycle passengers to death on the Long Bridge end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.

The motorcyclist was also said to have sustained injuries during the crash involving a white Toyota Hilux pickup van with number plate GGE 960 DD and a Bajaj motorcycle with number plate MEK 418 VH.

According to eyewitnesses, the policemen in the patrol vehicle took to their heels after the accident occurred around 10.50am, while emergency responders, who rushed to the scene, took the injured victim to the hospital.

The remains of the deceased were said to have been deposited in the Lagos State Emergency Centre at the old tollgate area.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “When the accident happened, the policemen ran out of the vehicle and jumped off the bridge and ran away. No one could catch them.”

At the scene of the accident, other commercial motorcyclists, while mourning the death of the victims, threatened to burn the van.

During the rescue operation, a Federal Road Safety Corps official, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “We got the distress call and we came down to the scene, but before we got here, we realised that the people around had done the rescue.”

     Read: Lagos Gov., Sanwo-Olu Apprehends Traffic Defaulters At CMS, Apogbon Bridge - Photos

When contacted, the Sector Commander, FRSC, Ogun State, Clement Oladele, said one of the three victims involved in the accident died.

Oladele stated, “Three people were involved in the accident, one died and the two injured victims were rescued to the Lagos State Emergency Centre, Ojota. The corpse of the dead victim was deposited in the hospital’s mortuary.

“The suspected cause of the accident was route violation as the driver of the vehicle was speeding while driving against the traffic. The vehicles involved were a white Toyota Hilux pickup van with number plate GGE 960 DD and a Bajaj motorcycle with number plate MEK 418 VH.”

However, the spokesperson for the police in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said two passengers died, while the motorcyclist sustained injuries and was rushed to the hospital, where he is responding to treatment.

He said the vehicle involved was registered and branded, adding that it had been impounded and the owner/driver would be traced and made to face justice.

Oyeyemi said driving against the traffic was a serious offence and security agents were not allowed to do so except in emergencies, and such vehicle would be a security vehicle or an ambulance, which must carry a sign that would alert people to the emergency.

He added that investigation into the accident was ongoing and gave an assurance that the driver would be identified, arrested and prosecuted, adding that the Commissioner of Police in the state had directed that everything possible must be done to apprehend those involved, whether they were policemen or ordinary citizens.

READ: Arrest On Delivery Bikes: Lagos State Government Takes Its Stand

Security: Oyo State Government Purchases 100 New Cars For Police, Army etc - Photos

Just as the slogan of Oyo State that says, "Ajise bi Oyo lari Oyo o s'egbe Baba eni kokan", that is, you can only wish to be like Oyo, but you can't match to its standard.

The government of Oyo State has unveiled 100 units of Kia Rio Automatic Transmission Executive Patrol Vehicles which will be used for Security Operatives in Oyo state.

The Kia Rio cars were nearly purchased and will be distributed to all arms of security agencies in the state to enhance mobility in terms of security. It will be recalled that in August, the Oyo State Executive Council approved N832.6 million for the procurement of 100 units of vehicles for security agencies in the state.

According to the government source, this became necessary to make provision for the vehicular movement of the security operatives around the nooks and crannies of the state.

These are photos of the nearly purchased cars that are embedded with Oyo State Emblem and their state emergency number in case of any help.

Lagos Government Set To Auction Vehicles Impounded For Violation Of Traffic Law

The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) has concluded arrangements to auction vehicles of 31 traffic offenders already convicted by the Court for driving against traffic as well as 22 automobiles that were abandoned for over six months after the arrest of their riders.

Chairman of the Agency, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi disclosed that the owners of the impounded vehicles who abandoned their cars contravened the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, stating that public notice had been issued for owners of both the court forfeited and abandoned cars to identify their vehicles at the Agency's car parks in Ikorodu and Bolade-Oshodi.

"At the expiration of the one-month verification exercise the Agency shall apply to court for an order of 'Public Auction' where members of the public would have opportunity to buy any of these vehicles”, the Chairman said.

Egbeyemi clarified that the owners of the vehicles forfeited to the government pleaded guilty before Magistrate Omobola Salawu of the Lagos State Mobile Court at Oshodi after their arrest for driving against traffic.

He affirmed that in addition to the forfeiture of the vehicles, each traffic offender was sentenced to 100 days 'Community Service' at any public institution of their choice.

The Chairman, however, maintained that with the State government’s zero-tolerance for violation of the law, the Agency will continue to prosecute traffic offenders until sanity is restored on our roads and law-abiding citizens are allowed to commute without being impeded by unlawful individuals.

Meanwhile, CSP Egbeyemi also confirmed that over 7350 impounded motorcycles are presently in custody of the Agency for plying restricted routes, including highways and bridges across the State.

He stated that the Agency is awaiting further directives from the government in respect of the impounded motorcycles, adding that the motorcyclists were apprehended around Agege, Pen-Cinema, Apapa, Ikorodu, Mile 2, Obalende, Oyingbo, 2nd Rainbow, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ojota, Maryland, Yaba, Oshodi, Ikorodu Road, Apongbon, Ikeja and Iyana-Ipaja.

LASG Sentenced 37 Traffic Offenders To 100 Hours Of Community Service, Impounds Cars, Bikes

The Special Offences (Mobile) Court, in Oshodi area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, on Tuesday sentenced 37 traffic offenders to 100 hours community service.

Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo had led the prosecution of 37 traffic offenders in court.

The attorney-general, during the proceedings for written address, urged the court’s presiding Magistrate, Omobola Salawu to convict the defendants as charged.

He added that the 37 offenders were charged with offences of driving against traffic, illegal driving on BRT corridor and illegal plying of highway with motorcycles which are likely to endanger the lives of road users.

Onigbanjo noted that the offence committed was punishable under section 66 (b) of Lagos State Transport Law, 2012.

The presiding Magistrate, Magistrate Tombola Salawu admitted them to 100 hours community service and fines of N15,000 and 20,000 varying from the offence committed.

The magistrate ordered that they all dropped two passport photographs and pay the fines allotted into the Lagos State Mobile Court’s account.

While addressing newsmen, Onigbanjo stated that the state would continue to prosecute traffic offenders until sanity was restored back on Lagos roads and law-abiding citizens allowed to enjoy the roads without being assaulted by defaulters.

“Governor Sanwo Olu led administration has zero-tolerance for disobedience to traffic rules, all traffic offenders would be made to serve the punishment immediately, which could be in form of compulsory community service or fines as appropriate,” he said

Onigbanjo further said that many convictions had been handed out and that vehicles of some of the offenders had been forfeited.

Likewise, the Chairman Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, disclosed that about 4,477 motorcycles and 18 vehicles had been impounded in the last six months for traffic offences.

He said that the state task force would continue to apprehend offenders of the State traffic rules and regulations.

Update From Various Construction Sites In Lagos As Mandated By Sanwo-Olu - Photos

In a bid to ensure compliance and to track activities of the contractors assigned to carry out construction works on Lagos roads, we felt it's our duty to bring to notice how work has been faring at various sites across the state.

It will be recalled that on Sunday, the Lagos State gov., Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu declared a state of emergency on all Lagos roads, he had a meeting with some selected construction companies and they were given the mandate to start a rehabilitation work across the state. The construction companies didn't start work until late Wednesday except for Julius Berger who kick start almost immediately on Monday Morning.

As at Thursday evening, these are some of the updates we have at our various disposal...

1. HITECH Company has started the rehabilitation of Abraham Adesanya to Eleko. 

For those live around Lekki, Eleko, Abraham Adesanya, they can testify that work has started on this road though that are reports that the workers are doing a shabby jobs, one of the residents claimed they left some potholes and jumped to other places that they have to call them back to re-fix the potholes and back in place. The Lekki-Epe Expressway is definitely having a breath of fresh air again.

These are some of the images we got from the Eleko axis...

2. CCECC Started Work At Lagos-Badagry Expressway

For people who ply the popular Lagos Badagry Expressway especially the Mile 2, Eric Moore Axis in Surulere and its environs, you must have seen CCECC in action. According to reports, they kick start right from Babs Animashaun all the way towards Mile 2. These are some of the images we got so far...

Victoria Island/City of David Axis 

We can't confirm if this road is part of the roads to be reconstructed or maybe its a private organization embarking on this but we have it on good authority that a palliative work has begun at the Lekki Alternative Route (City of David).

Ketu-Ojota-Mile 12

Work has begun at Ojota axis, in fact, Julius Berger first responded and began work almost immediately on Monday morning. According to multiple sources, work is on-going at Ojota, Ketu and going towards the major roads. The residents have appealed to Lagos State Government in making sure that these firms do a thorough and good job hence, we will be back to square one again.

Traffic Congestion: OYRTMA Impounds 50 Trailers Causing Traffic Jam - Photos

In a move aimed at sanitizing Oyo State highways and ensuring free flow of traffic, the Chairman Oyo State Road Transport Management Agency (OYRTMA), Dr. Akin Fagbemi yesterday led men and officers of the agency to impound fifty vehicles at the popular Iwo-Road, along Lagos-Ibadan Highway in Ibadan North local government in Ibadan.

Several heavy-duty vehicles were indiscriminately parked along the road, causing huge obstruction to free vehicular movement along the corridor and paralyzing economic activities around the area.

The trailers were taken to the agency's headquarters in the State secretariat at Agodi to free up traffic and allow business activities without of residents.

While addressing the drivers of the impounded vehicles, the Chairman said the present administration in the State was not out to make life unbearable for the people of the State but to do all within the ambit of the law to woo foreign direct Investors by creating enabling environment devoid of avoidable and perpetual traffic jams.

"You may recall that we recently announced the approval by the governor for immediate use of a 250-trucks capacity parking space at our Sanyo operational centre. While frantic efforts are on to secure other parking spaces across the State, we implore all heavy duty vehicle operators to utilize the available park and desist from indiscriminate parking on the highways as this is highly inimical to other road users as well as the fact that it cripples economic activities within the State.

"This operation is not to witch-hunt anybody. We are aware of the technical implications of the continuous parking of these heavy-duty vehicles whose imposing weights far supersedes that of the designed load-carrying capacity of the highways thus destroying the roads by creating portholes at different sections of the highways.

"We, therefore, enjoin all trailer operators within the State to cooperate with the State Government to achieve free flow of traffic across the 33 local government areas of the State."

The State government had about a week ago announced the approval of 250 trucks capacity parking space to decongest highways within the Ibadan metropolis as a response to prayers from business concerns in the city for government to find a lasting solution to the traffic menace.

Lagos Gov., Sanwo-Olu Apprehends Traffic Defaulters At CMS, Apogbon Bridge - Photos

The Lagos State Gov., Mr Babatunde Sanwo-Olu has appended motorists that pass through one-way on Thursday. The governor was coming with his entourage when he arrested motorists and Okada riders on the CMS-Apgbon Bridge in Lagos Island, the riders left their lane and decided to pass through one-way which is against the traffic law in Lagos State.

Gov. Sanwo-Olu stressed that there is no excuse for road users to break traffic rules.

The Governor said,

"There's no excuse for road users to break traffic rules by taking one-way and going against traffic. Today was an unlucky day for perpetrators of this selfish and disorderly act. Behaviour such as this will not be tolerated. Let's not make total bedlam of our roads."

A close look into the Lagos Traffic Law and their punishments.

Penalties for Neglect of Traffic Directions.

Where an officer of the Authority is for the time being engaged in the regulation of traffic on a highway, or where any traffic sign being a sign for regulating the movement of traffic or indicating the route to be followed by vehicle has been lawfully placed on or near a highway in accordance with the provisions of this Law, any person driving or propelling any vehicle, who-

(a) Neglects or refuses to stop the vehicle or to make it proceed or to keep to a particular lane or direction of traffic when directed to do so by the officer in the execution of his duty; or

(b) Drives his vehicle against oncoming traffic or fails to conform to the direction or indication given by the traffic sign, shall be guilty of an offence, and shall be liable on conviction for:
(i) 1st offender one (1) year imprisonment and forfeiture of the vehicle to the State;
(ii) 2nd and subsequent offender three (3) years imprisonment and forfeiture of the vehicle to the State.

(c) All offenders shall have their data and biometrics captured.