Police, LASTMA officials removed for various misconduct – PTT

Segun Oladipupo

The Presidential Task Team (PTT) in charge of Apapa gridlock said one police officer, three Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) officials have been redeployed for misconduct.

Comrade Thompson Olaleye, a member of The Task Team told journalists in Lagos on Tuesday.

Reacting to allegation by truckers that he does not protect the interest of the truck drivers and owners, he said he would always be on the part of truth no matter whose ox is gored.

Illustrating his claim, he said the team does not spare anyone for wrongdoing saying that a policeman and three LASTMA officials who were caught for various infractions were not spared.

“If the task team is doing what is not right, I will say it and if I have to report to the CP, I will do so.

“We have removed up to four or five members of the task team that we reported officially for misconduct.so if you are doing what is not right, there is no need for me to back you,” he maintained.

Speaking further, he quipped that normalcy had returned to the Lilypond truck park at the Ijora area in Lagos on Saturday 18th January 2020 after two months of inactivity due to recent closure after attack by hoodlums.

Recall that the gate of the facility was in October burnt by hoodlums following a face-off between truck drivers and members of the task team over allegation of extortion

The fracas left one person dead.

It was gathered that the fracas started following an allegation of bribery and extortion by truck drivers against the enforcement team.

Speaking on the development, Olaleye said that the facility had commenced operations on Saturday with the Presidential task team members on the ground to monitor the movement of articulated vehicles along the corridor.

Olaleye also admitted that gridlock still exists along the port access road due to ongoing road construction and the inactivity at the Lilypond terminal.

The haulage operator who also doubles as the President, Amalgamation of Container Trucks Owner, stressed the need for the contractors on the corridors to expedite actions in fixing the access road linking the seaports.

“Government has to do something about the state of the roads because if the roads are in good shape I don’t think we will be in this situation we found ourselves.

He lamented that the task team was working round the clock to ensure a free flow of vehicles in and out of the area.

He also called on barge operators to reconsider their charges as it has affected the cost of doing business in the ports.

Olaleye disclosed that four security operatives attached to the task team have been redeployed over issues of highhandedness and inhuman treatment of drivers and conductors.