Sanwo-Olu orders removal of abandoned vehicles under bridges over security threat, gridlock

*LASTMA issues 7-day notice
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday ordered removal of all abandoned vehicles parked indiscriminately under bridges across the state.

As a result, the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), has issued a-7- day removal and compliance notice to owners of trucks and vehicles parked under Costain Bridge and other areas of the state or risk being impounded and prosecution.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa and General Manager LASTMA, Bolaji Oregba, disclosed these on Monday, during an emergency meeting with stakeholders and management of the agency, held at Alausa, Ikeja Lagos.

According to Giwa, “Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s had declared zero tolerance for environmental abuse, illegal and indiscriminate dumping of refuse and defacing of the environment when he signed ‘Executive Order’ on traffic and sanitation.

“I can assure you that government will enforce this notice after the expiration of the seven days ultimatum beginning from today (Monday).”

While appealing to owners to comply, Giwa explained that the ‘Removal Notice’ became necessary in view of the rising incidences of recent security threat and attendants gridlock in identified areas which include, Costain, Apapa, Ajah, Lekki,” among others.

Oregaba in his address, expressed worries that “this is serving as hideouts for criminals, adding that the present nature of the environment allow criminals to escape police arrest.

He added that the state government is committed to reducing the traffic incidence around the axes, hence, it has becomes important to remove every bottlenecks to such policy. He stated that the indiscriminate parking and abandonment of trucks on the road is inimical to that policy.

He warned the owners to remove them from the area before the expiration of the deadline, vowing that “there is no going back on this.”

According to LASTMA boss, “We are using this medium to warn owners of motorists parking under the bridge of Costain to vacate this area within seven days of grace because the act is in total violation to traffic laws of the state.

“Apart from violating the laws, this act can serve as haven to criminals and because of the security threat in the state we do not want to leave any stone unturned.

“Therefore, after the expiration of the seven days grace we are going to carry-out a total clean-up operation of the entire area and subsequently to other identified areas such as Ajah, Apapa, Lekki, Agege, Lagos Abeokuta Expressway, among others.. Please help us to put this information across to them because there is no going back on this exercise.”