Five hoodlums, popularly called area boys,
who confronted security personnel working with the Lagos State
Government during a raid of roadside traders in Ajah, have been
arraigned on Tuesday before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court.
The suspects are Chinedu Newton, Edet Okon, Ayo Okoye, Chinedu Nnamani and Bashiru Kunmi.
PUNCH Metro learnt that a
combined security personnel of the Kick Against Indiscipline, Lagos
State Transport Management Authority and the Lagos State Taskforce on
Environmental and Other Related Offences, had stormed the area around
10am to chase traders hawking along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
Our correspondent learnt that the
operatives, numbering about 200, acted allegedly on the order of
Governor Akinwumi Ambode, and seized some wares.
It was gathered that the touts, who
usually collect commission from the hawkers, intercepted one of the
security men’s patrol vehicles, blocked the road with disused tyres and
created mayhem.
It was learnt that officials of the
team, who were in other patrol vehicles, overpowered the mob and
arrested five of them, including a trader. Ten commercial vehicles were
also seized for alleged reckless driving.
It was said that some residents of the
area had complained to the governor about the gridlock on the
expressway, which they attributed to the activities of the traders and
commercial drivers.
An eyewitness, Samuel Aderogba, said it took the intervention of the police to restore normalcy to the area.
He said, “For about an hour, everything
was on a standstill due to the activities of the commercial drivers and
touts. They burnt tyres on the road to stop the officials. Wares of
traders by the roadside were seized. Policemen later came to disperse
them with teargas.”
A resident of the area, Kolapo Ademola,
said commercial activities by the roadside were responsible for the
traffic usually encountered on the expressway. He, however, urged the
government to provide a place in the area for the traders.
He said, “It is understood that the
government is trying to restore sanity on this road. The traders
actually contributed to the traffic here. But chasing them away is not
enough. The government should look for a place around here for them.
Most of them live in the community.
“They don’t have other means of livelihood.”
The Chairman of the Lagos State task force, SP Akeem Adedeji, confirmed the development to our correspondent.
He said, “Residents of the area have
complained to the governor, through letters and text messages, about the
gridlock on that road. The governor went there three weeks ago on a
fact-finding mission.
“We told the traders selling by the roadside to leave to no avail.
“The operation involved all the state’s security outfits.
“The touts engaged us, but we managed the situation. Ten vehicles are with us, while some wares were seized.”
The suspects were arraigned in the court
on Tuesday on three counts bordering on the breach of public peace and
obstruction of security officials.
While Okon, who sells beverage, admitted to have committed the offences, the others pleaded not guilty.
The counsel for Okon, Mrs. Esther Yekini, prayed the court to be lenient with him, claiming that he was a “first time offender.”
The presiding magistrate, Mrs. A.S. Odusanya, in her ruling, ordered Okon to pay N15,000 fine or serve a month jail term.
Odusanya granted bail to the other four defendants in the sum of N50,000 each with one surety each in like sum.
The case was adjourned till August 16, 2015
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