14th April, 2016
Paul Iyoghojie
The police at Ikoyi Division, Ikoyi, Lagos, southwest Nigeria led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), SP Tijani Mustapha have arrested and confiscated about 30 motorcycles from the recalcitrant riders and transferred them to the Lagos State Task Force Office, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos for plying Ikoyi and its environs.
It was learnt that all the riders on sighting the police team abandoned their bikes and fled to avoid being arrested.
Areas the motorcycles were seized for violating the Lagos State traffic laws include Falomo Roundabout, Bourdillon, Alexander, Gerard, Osbourne, Glover, Milverton, Kingsway, First and Second Avenue Roads, all in Ikoyi, Lagos
Efforts by PM NEWS correspondent to interview the DPO for comments was not successful but a police source stated that since assuming office few months ago, the DPO, SP Tijani Mustapha has been waging war against the recalcitrants motorcycle operators in Ikoyi and its environs arresting at least 25 to 30 motorcycles weekly and transferring them to the Task Force office at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos
The source said since the DP0 intensified enforcement on illegal motorcycle operations in Ikoyi and its environs, motorcycle related criminal activities have reduced in the area, adding that, the police will not relent until motorcycle riders stop plying Ikoyi, Lagos.
A resident of Ikoyi, Richard Odigbe who spoke to PM News said, “Prior the assumption of Mustapha last year, suspected cultists, prostitutes and motorcycle related criminal activities had taken over Ikoyi environs but that the DPO has restored sanity to the area.
In a related development, concerned motorists and commuters who passed through the Obalende bridge daily to their places of work have appealed to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Fatai Owoseni to direct the police at Onikan Division, Ikoyi, Lagos to dislodge all the motorcycle operators riding against the traffic on the Obalende bridge, endangering the lives of road users, causing confusion and traffic grid lock atop the bridge daily.
Some of those who spoke with PMNEWS correspondent in Obalende appealed to the CP to also direct the new chairman of the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation, SP Egbeyemi to assist the police at Ikoyi to put a stop to the one way drive by motorcycle operators atop the Obalende bridge to avoid accident, deaths and most especially what happened at Mile 12 area of Lagos State recently.
Efforts to speak with the Lagos State Taskforce Chairman on the issue was frustrated by the Unit’s PRO.