By News Desk
Atleast 95 commuters have been sentenced to different terms of community services and fines by the Special Offences Court of Lagos State (Mobile Court) for crossing the highways between January 1st, and February 6th, 2020.
The arrests were made after Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) intensified enforcement of its zero tolerance on indiscriminate crossing of highways, to complement the State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration resolve to stem the spate of environmental offences and traffic laws on the roads.
LAGESC commandant, CP Gbemisola Akinpelu (retd), who disclosed the statistics on Thursday during an interview at the Command Headquarters in Bolade-Oshodi, reiterated the agency’s commitment to sustain and extend the operations to every part of the State.
According to her, a total number of 95 persons have been prosecuted from January 2020 till date in line with the Environmental Sanitation Protection Law 2017 by the Special Offences Court of Lagos State (Mobile Court), Bolade-Oshodi.
While encouraging pedestrians to make use of the bridges for safety of live and property, the Corps Marshal warned that it is an offence for one to endanger his life by crossing the highways which puts them at risk of getting knocked down by ‘hit and run’ drivers.
Stressing the Government stance on protection of its residents and ease vehicular movement, Akinpelu reaffirmed the commitment of the Agency at ensuring arrests and prosecution of defaulters who fail to make use of pedestrian bridges where they are erected strategically for crossing of highways.
She, however, debunked news making the rounds that LAGESC officials, who are not in uniform, have been directed to arrest commuters crossing the highways, saying every LAGESC officers on lawful duty must dress officially with the LAGESC uniforms and their name tags boldly on it.
She however warned those impersonating as LAGESC officer to extort money from residents to desist from such act because they would be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
