*As 4 officers sustained serious injuries
*92 motorcycles impounded plying illegal routes
The Lagos State Government has prosecuted severn arrested motorcycle operators over an attack on officers of the Lagos State Task Force while clamping down on motorcycle operators plying restricted routes around Oworonsoki, Adeniji-Adele junction, Obalende, Falomo, Lekki Phase I and Ikoyi Link-Bridge areas of the state.
Head, Public Affairs of the Task Force, Mr. Taofeeq Adebayo, made this known in a statement stent to The DEFENDER on Sunday.
Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, disclosed that seven motorcycle operators were arrested over the weekend for attacking Officers of the Agency with stones, bottles and iron-rods while on legitimate mission to arrest motorcyle operators plying restricted routes.
CSP Egbeyemi disclosed further that four officers of the agency were seriously injured with those dangerous items around Lekki Phase I during the incident.
He confirmed that during the enforcement operations carried out around those areas, 92 motorcycles were impounded for plying illegal routes including highways and bridges.
“During the enforcement operations some suspected motorcyclists started shouting and calling the attention of their colleagues in their native language, thereafter other motorcycle operators from no where started throwing stones, bottles and Iron-rods at my Officers,” the Task Force boss said.
CSP Egbeyemi, who enjoined other relevant stakeholders to support the agency in curbing the ‘Okada’ menace in the state, said it was a rude shock seeing motorcycle operators now shuttling and struggling right of ways with motorists on Ikoyi link-bridge, Falomo, Lekki Phase I, Adeniji-Adele including Obalende.
He stated that while two Police officers got injured with heavy stones on their heads, two other paramilitary officers were attacked with broken bottles in their legs.
According to the Chairman, “The government would no longer tolerate the slightest attack on officers and men of the Agency, as just recently a Police Officer with the Agency died as a result of serious injuries he sustained from miscreants and hoodlums while on enforcement duty around Mile 12 area.”
The Agency’s Spokesman, Adebayo, said: “The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu after having been briefed about the incident, condemned the attack in a very strong term and warned that the Police under his watch will not tolerate criminal attacks and assault on its personnel or facilities.”
CP Muazau however directed the Chairman of the Task Force CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi to immediately charge all arrested suspectsto court for prosecution.
In the meantime, all the arrested suspects have been arraigned in court as directed by the CP, to serve as deterrent to others who may want to act in like manners.
