Bulldozers demolish structures under bridges, at motor parks

affected are those who paid deft ears to the warning. I also warned that anybody caught engaging in these illegalities during the enforcement operations will be severely dealt with in accordance with the law,” he said.

Prior to the Monday operation, the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, while touring the state, had expressed his dissatisfaction with the indiscriminate parking of vehicles at Ojota by inter-state transport operators.

Consequently, the state government had announced the restriction of the operation of inter-state commercial vehicles operating along the Ikorodu Road to Ojodu Berger and Ojota motor parks.

The government issued a seven-day ultimatum to the operators to relocate to the designated inter-state motor parks at Ojodu Berger and Ojota, after which stiff sanctions would be applied to defaulters.

Speaking after embarking on a joint inspection tour of the ongoing construction of a modern bus terminal at Yaba and the beautification project at Jibowu, both in the Lagos metropolis, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, said the decision of the government was in line with the determination of the Ambode administration “to free the city from avoidable nuisances and install sanity and civility in the environment.”

Ayorinde said the inspection was a follow-up to an earlier visit by the governor to the area, adding that all the necessary quit notices had already been served on the affected operators.

He said, “This is a follow-up on the visit of Gov Ambode to this axis last night and he was very displeased with what he saw, particularly in the manner with which long buses, interstate buses are using the main town. What we have done so far is the initial announcement to say that henceforth, we will no longer allow inter-state buses to be along Ikorodu Road.”

Speaking on the reason for the ban, the Commissioner said the activities of the operators had not been “tidy and decent” despite repeated warnings, and that government could no longer sit and watch such things to continue in the overall interest of the people.

“In the overall interest of the public, what is tidy, what is decent and civilized is to move them to where they really belong so that we can free the city. There are major bus terminals springing up. People have seen what we are doing in Yaba, which will be ready by December. They have seen what we have done at the TBS and Ikeja, which are all part of the overall plan. What we have done is in the best interest of Lagosians, taxpayers and the public,” the Commissioner said.

The state’s acting Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, added that the ban was part of the plan of the government to properly utilize spaces under flyovers and bridges.

Elegushi assured that government had already provided more than enough spaces for the affected operators at Ojodu Berger and Ojota, saying that a stakeholders’ meeting would also be held on this week to discuss and allocate spaces for operators at the said parks.

He warned that at the expiration of the ultimatum, government would enforce the ban “and any operator who flouts the directive will be seriously sanctioned.”

The new General Manager of Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), Bilikisu Adebiyi-Abiola, dislosed that government was already working on an intensive design for the beatification project to be sited within the Jibowu and Yaba axes, adding that the project would soon be implemented.

She said the project was part of the general Greener Lagos Plan which the present administration had set out to achieve with the taking over and beatification of blighted areas across the State.

“The Greener Lagos Plan is for the benefit of all Lagosians so that our children can use them, and it is also important for our health because we are going to introduce greenery, trees and plants that would help the environment,” she said.

She said areas such as Lagos Island, Mile 2 and Festac were currently being considered for the beautification project in the short time, while there are massive plans to extend the project to all parts of the state.

In implementing the Cleaner Lagos plan, the task force officials also moved to the Rainbow bus stop on the Oshodi-Mile 2 expressway following series of complaints from members of the public on the criminal activities around the area.

During the operation, the operatives impounded 146 motorcycles and arrested 21 riders for plying unapproved routes.

The Chairman, SP Olayinka Egbeyemi disclosed that enforcement operations were carried out based on series of complaints to his office by innocent members of the public on the criminal activities perpetrated by motorcycle riders/operators around the Mile 2, Orile-Iganmu and Coker Aguda areas.

Those arrested have since been charged before the state mobile court.

Magistrate Lateef Owolabi of the Lagos State Mobile Court sitting at Oshodi ordered the forfeiture of the impounded 146 motorcycles to the state government.

He sentenced 21 arrested riders/operators to two weeks imprisonment with an option of N5,000.