14th February, 2011
Men of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) Alausa, Ikeja Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, have fully commenced the enforcement of the use of the pedestrian bridge at the Ojota area of the state.
Lagos State Government through KAI, it was gathered, commenced the enforcement about three week ago, following the pedestrians’ disregard to the government’s appeal on the use of foot bridges across the state.
P.M.NEWS observed that there was total compliance with the use of the facility at the Ojota axis of Ikorodu Road.
KAI officials stationed at the area said the level of compliance has risen considerably. This they said has allowed for free flow traffic in the ever busy road, just as it has helped to reduce the rate of accidents associated with pedestrians while crossing the highway.
One of the officers who spoke on condition of anonymity said since the squad was commisioned to monitor the area, pedestrians have been complying while the few erring ones were lawfully dealt with.
“Since we moved here, we have achieved 70 per cent to 80 per cent compliance. People now willingly use the bridge but I think our policemen need to be educated on the importance of what we do here.
“Most of them will just cross the road without using the bridge and if you try to stop them, they will say they are policemen and what is our business with their lives. They should be the ones maintaining laws and orders, but they are the ones breaking the laws.
“Another set of people who normally gives us problem here is the truck pushers. Just today, a truck pusher physically engaged our men for stopping him from crossing the road, asking how we expect him to carry his truck and climb the bridge,†said the KIA official.
However, at Ketu, the situation was different. It was observed that people were crossing the highway without using the foot bridge, and this has contributed to the traffic jam on the road.
—Ayodeji Dedeigbo