Why I don’t forgive those driving ‘one-way’ – task force chairman

The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit says it will continue to have zero tolerance for driving against traffic to make recalcitrant motorists to be law-abiding.

The Chairman of Unit (task force), SP Saheed Egbeyemi, made this known while addressing the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Lagos State.

The rights group had queried the mode of operations of the unit.

“It is not true that we are anti-masses. We fight those people that are adamant and defiant.

“We are not in a state of anarchy, we are in an orderly society where there must be law and order.

“We take offenders to court, and once anyone is pronounced guilty, such ends in prison.

“How can a sane driver be driving against another vehicle coming with speed; this is how innocent people are killed,’’ the chairman said.

Egbeyemi said that although the unit understood the plights of the masses, laws must be respected.

“These are things we do but people don’t understand. It is my duty to raid when people are doing illegality.”

He noted that many commercial motorcyclists still operated on restricted roads.

“Are they with their helmet? Are they not carrying two people? Are they not plying `one-way’ and on restricted areas?

“Are they not carrying pregnant women and school children? What do people expect us to do?

“Many say our job is economically and physically affecting the people but go and check at the Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Yaba, you will see that people’s legs are not hanged the way they used to be. It has reduced.’’

Responding, the Chairman of CDHR, Lagos State, Mr Alex Omotehinse, said that many of the points raised by Egbeyemi were factual.

He said that many motorists in Lagos State disregarded laws.

“The public should be law-abiding because if they don’t obey the law, there is nothing CDHR can do,” Omotehinse said.

He, however, advised law enforcers not to violate the rights of the people.