COMMUTERS all witnessed what could be best described as a show of rascality and thuggery along the LASU-Igando road, in the early hours of today, Tuesday, November 15, 2022, as commercial bus drivers came under 'attack' by members of the Lagos State Task Force and their accomplices.
Buses had just resumed road work early in the morning when the uniform men stationed between the Olorunfenmi bus stop and Igando bus stop, carried out their work, aided by some agberos.
From an eyewitness account gathered by a correspondent of Alimoshotoday, the bus driver's offence was parking wrongly. It was also observed that all drivers who had their vehicles seized did not have conductors, leaving their buses open.
Just after the Olorunfenmi bus stop, the agberos working with the uniform men jumped into the bus of this particular driver and dragged him down. Within a twinkle of an eye, one of them quickly claimed the driver's seat and moved the bus, fully loaded with passengers, while the driver and others alike were violently forced into another bus that zoomed off to an unknown destination.
The passengers, who had just paid their fares, heading to Igando, General, Isheri, Egbeda, up to Iyana-Ipaja were refused from taking their balance, as the now hijacked bus offloaded everyone on board at Igando, irrespective of wherever they were headed.
Aggrieved at this, some commuters hauled abuses and curses at the task force for not allowing them to be refunded, with one saying that things like this can only happen in Lagos.
One lady who was hurrying off for an interview was left stranded, as she had to get down from the bus, empty-handed.
Recall that it was for this same reason that the Joint Drivers' Welfare Association of Nigeria (JDWAN) embarked on a 7-day strike a few weeks back.
The group demanded an end to the continued harassment of drivers by law enforcement agents & intimidation with guns, cutlasses, and broken bottles by LASTMA, task force and RRS must end immediately.
ICYMI: COMMERCIAL DRIVERS IN ALIMOSHO, OTHER AREAS EMBARK ON 7-DAY STRIKE TODAY
They further demanded that the Lagos State Government provide official bus stops in each community to avoid incessant arrests and stress for commuters who complain of having to trek several kilometres back to their bus stops.
The group later suspended their strike, with the State Government promising to address their grievances.
Also, the Chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Management, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (aka MC Oluomo) set up a task force team, giving them a one-month ultimatum to curb extortion at bus stops.
ICYMI: DRIVERS STRIKE: OLUOMO SETS UP TASK FORCE TO CURB EXTORTION, AS DRIVERS CALL OFF STRIKE
He promised to liaise with the state’s Commissioner for Transportation and Special Adviser on Transportation to nip the illegal activities of LASTMA and Task Force in the bud.
However, with this recent development, it appears nothing has been done regarding this. Efforts are being made to reach out to the JDWAN leadership for comments.
