Agency prosecutes 95 for failure to use pedestrian bridges in Lagos

Following the step-up exercise of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) on its operation zero tolerance to indiscriminate crossing of highways in the state, the agency has reiterated its commitment to sustain and extend the operations to every part of the metropolis, which is in line with the mandate of the governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to stem the spate of environmental offences and traffic laws.

The Corps Marshal of LAGESC, CP Akinpelu Gbemisola (rtd), stated this yesterday at the command’s headquarters, Bolade-Oshodi. According to her, a total number of 95 persons have been prosecuted from January 2020 till date in line with the Environmental Sanitation Protection Law 2017 by the Special Offences Court of Lagos State (Mobile Court), Bolade-Oshodi.

The Corps Marshal also decried with dismay the unfounded rumour circulating on social media that the Lagos State government has directed LAGESC officials not in uniform to arrest people crossing the highways, saying that every LAGESC officers on lawful duty are to be officially dressed with the LAGESC uniforms with their name tags boldly on it.

She, however, warned imposters extorting money from the general public in the name of LAGESC to desist from such act as well as rumour peddlers to abstain from misleading the general public with wrong information.

She, therefore, encouraged pedestrians to make use of the bridges for free flow of traffic and their people, warning that it is an offence to endanger their lives by crossing the highways which puts them at risk of getting knocked down by ‘hit and run’ drivers.

While affirming the stance of the state government to protecting unnecessary loss of lives and to ease free flow of traffic, the Corps Marshal reaffirmed the commitment of the Agency at ensuring arrests and prosecution of defaulters who fail to make use of pedestrian bridges where they are erected strategically for crossing of highways.