Lagos COVID-19 task force escapes gunshot attack, seals facilities

Police arrest 150, impound 10 buses for violating interstate travel restriction
Members of the Lagos State Safety Commission enforcement team, at the weekend, escaped injuries after they were attacked and shot at while carrying out enforcement of the COVID-19 safety precautions in Ipaja area.

Disclosing this, the Technical Adviser to the commission, Mr Seun Awojobi, stated that while carrying out the enforcement on Friday night, the team was shot at and attacked at Osigold Hotels and Bar in Baruwa Ipaja, Lagos.

“The hotel had over 100 people clubbing and dancing within its premises, flouting the state government’s directive and contravening the Infectious Disease Law of the state,” he said.

The Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola, who led the enforcement team for the operation carried out at late hours over the weekend, said the hotel has been sealed as the team is determined to ensure that relevant laws and safety guidelines are strictly adhered to.

He added that the task force also sealed more than 10 social and religious centres due to non-compliance with the government’s directive on social distancing and ban on social and religious gatherings. Some of the facilities sealed include The Harvest Lagos, Bay Lounge, The Heavens Suites, Angle Villa Bar, Ehi Guest House and Gardens, Egbeda, and Mountain Top Hotels and Suites, Ojodu.

Mojola appealed for citizens’ cooperation in the fight against coronavirus and urged Lagosians to take their personal safety seriously to complement efforts of the government to curb the spread of the virus by always wearing masks when in public to keep themselves and others around them protected from being infected.

He enjoined the public to continue registering their businesses in line with the Register-to-Open initiative of the government on www.lasgsafetyreg.com to ensure adequate space management and preparation against when such businesses will be allowed to open.

He further sounded a note of warning to other facilities in the state, adding that the commission would continue to shut down erring and non-compliant facilities across the state.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command has arrested 150 passengers and impounded 10 luxurious buses for violating interstate travel restriction during the state’s curfew hours. The arrests were made by operatives enforcing the ban on interstate non-essential travel during curfew hours.

The vehicles were intercepted with 150 passengers travelling out of Lagos to various destinations in the northern and eastern regions of the country at about 11:00p.m.

Lagos State spokesman, Bala Elkana, said: “The drivers and passengers were arrested, while the buses were impounded. The violators were arraigned in Lagos State Special Offences’ (Mobile) Court.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has, therefore, warned commercial vehicle operators and motor parks against violating interstate movement restriction orders during the curfew hours. Passengers are also warned against non-essential interstate travels during the curfew hours.”