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11 Oct 2014
Policemen defy IGP’s order on checkpoints
Commuters who ply the Lagos-Badagry expressway
have sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) message to the
federal and the state governments over the state of the
roads in the area with their devastating effect on their
health and businesses. Their trouble, they say, is
compounded by the decision of policemen who defy an
order banning all checkpoints by the acting Inspector
General of Police, Suleiman Abba.
In recent times, the Alakija/ Iyana Iba axis and the
Mazamaza/Mile 2 end have been a living hell for
commuters who are forced to spend hours stuck in a
gridlock occasioned by bad road and police
checkpoints. While some commuters said they have
resigned to fate, others expressed disappointment at
the slow pace of construction work on the roads and
pleaded that government should mend the potholes
that dot the highway pending when the road would be
put in proper shape.
A commuter, who said he had spent four hours from
Okokomaiko to LASU gate, pleaded with officials of
Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to help
members of the public by patching up the potholes.
“The road is already bad and coupled with the Sallah
celebration. Those selling rams and cows park their
trucks indiscriminately. I spent the whole day
yesterday from Okokomaiko to Alakija. It was hell and
no one can help the situation except the Federal
Government. We quite agree that the road is under
construction but how long will it take them to do it? I
am sorry to say this: CCECC should be given small
projects to handle. They are making a mess of
everything. FERMA is not even helping matters.
Fashola claims that it is his project, what does it take
him to enforce the speedy construction of alternative
routes while the project drags. It is a pity but
commuters are stressed out and their lifespan dwindles
by the day.”
Another commuter told Saturday Sun that trekking
home is now a way of life for people in the area. “It
has been like this for so many months and yet this is
a major route through which goods are imported and
exported. Nigeria is making so much money through im
port and export duties, why should an area be so
neglected? Let the road be patched pending when the
so-called construction will be completed. I guess
everything will be at a standstill till 2015. Fashola is a
honourable man and I personally voted for him. I was
very happy when he announced the construction of
Lagos Badagry expressway. He should save our soul.”
Police induced traffic
Not left out in the agony are also commuters who are
forced to sit in traffic caused by several police
checkpoints under the Mile 2 bridge. The checkpoints
normally become active at night, thereby flouting the
recent order by the police authorities on roadblocks.
Saturday Sun learnt that these policemen were actually
detailed to rid Mile 2 of armed robbers who, in the
past, had unleashed attacks on commuters.
It would be recalled that the acting Inspector-General
of Police, Suleiman Abba has said that the order
banning the setting up of police roadblocks nationwide
is still strictly in force. A statement by the Force spokes
man, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said the police boss had sent
a directive to all commands and formations of the
force nationwide asking them to immediately dismantle
“all semblances of police roadblocks and permanent
checkpoints reportedly re- emerging in some parts of
the country, especially in the South- East, South-
South and South-West geo-political zones of Nigeria.”
Commuters, who spoke with Saturday Sun , complained
that the traffic bottleneck is more often than not
caused by the extortion of commercial drivers by
policemen who set up more than 10 checkpoints
between Mazamaza bridge and Mile 2 bridge lube, a
distance of not more than a kilometre.
“Everybody is aware of the gridlock caused by tankers
along Apapa road but for more than a month, that has
been a thing of the past. Our major challenge is that of
Mile Two, which is caused by policemen attached to
the state’s Rapid Response Squad and some from
police divisions around the area. You will be shocked
that after spending hours on that Mile 2 bridge, you
will see no pothole or brokendown vehicle but police
men extorting money from truck drivers and other
commuters.
They are not even searching them but collecting
money. Those who refuse to pay are blocked and
threatened with guns thus causing traffic jam. There is
a way they can still do their job without causing
artificial traffic hold-up on that road. You will see more
than 10 checkpoints with one or two cops doing the
same thing. They do it with impunity while LASTMA
officials watch helplessly. As soon as they observe that
there is a security convoy approaching, they will all
disappear,” a commuter said.
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