Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos has taken the attacks on officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency to the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy.
NPO Reports learnt Monday night that the governor, worried by the spate of attacks on officials of traffic management agency and the flagrant violation of traffic rules by soldiers and other uniformed men, was said to have asked the Army and the Navy to investigate recent attacks on LASTMA men which resulted in many operatives abandoning their duty posts for fears of attacks. Although, NPO Reports learnt that the matter is being treated as a sensitive one so as not to further aggravate the security situation in the state, a source at the office of the governor told the NPO Reports that the governor is being diplomatic to avert further inter-agency conflicts that could worsen the situation.
The spokesperson for LASTMA, Taofeek Adebayo, who confirmed Monday’s video, said LASTMA would respond in due time.
“Be patient with me; it is a sensitive matter. I have to get clearance,” Adebayo simply said on Monday. He was quoted as saying. Recall that the spokesman of the Army, Brig General Onyema Ugochukwu, said the army was working to educate its men on obeying traffic regulations. He said, “I must say it is disturbing that the soldiers/LASTMA conflict is now one too many. The authorities of the Nigerian Army are genuinely concerned and are embarking on a vigorous sensitisation campaign to educate our personnel on the need to ensure compliance with traffic rules and promote synergy and interagency cooperation in Lagos State and around the country.
“To rein in our personnel, the military police have also been mandated to conduct Operation Checkmate by carrying out intermittent surveillance to identify and arrest personnel who violate traffic rules or are found engaging in any untoward activity. The altercations are pointing to the fact that there is a need to strengthen interagency cooperation amongst the security agencies in Lagos.
“Those enforcing the rules must equally be sensitised not to take laws into their hands by physically assaulting or battering offenders. This, more often than not, escalates the situation and results in a violent confrontation.