‘We didn’t kill anyone’ — Lagos taskforce speaks on bus drivers’ protest

The Lagos State Environmental and Enforcement and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) has denied killing a commercial bus driver in the state.

Shola Jejeloye, chairman of the Lagos taskforce, disclosed this in a statement issued by Femi Moliki, head of the public affairs unit of the taskforce, on Tuesday.

TheCable had reported how commercial bus drivers staged a protest at LASU/Iyana Iba road over the alleged killing of their colleague by taskforce operatives.

The protest resulted in a “no work” directive, thereby leaving commuters stranded.

But in the statement, Jejeloye said operatives of taskforce did not kill any commercial bus driver.

The chairman explained that what led to the protest by commercial drivers was “an attempt to escape arrest by a danfo driver who, on sighting the operative of the agency in Iyana-Ipaja yesterday, sped off and hit a broken down bus”.

He said the broken down vehicle, on impact, injured a technician who was repairing it.

Jejeloye noted that the technician was taken to the hospital immediately, where he was treated and discharged the same day.

“He (Jejeloye) emphasised that there is no truth in the fake news that Lagos State Taskforce killed a driver and its conductor, noting that such incident never happened anywhere in the State,” the statement reads.

“He stated that he has been meeting with key stakeholders in the axis to ensure that commuters are not made to go through harrowing experiences as a result of the protest.

“CSP Jejeloye, while urging the officers to remain focused and dedicated to their duties, reminded them of the primary duty of law enforcement and safety of lives and property.

“He stated that Government reposes so much power in them and that they must therefore learn to be professional in the discharge of their duties.”

The chairman added that the Lagos taskforce would not abdicate its statutory duty of enforcing traffic laws in the metropolis over “penchant disregard of some motorists for traffic laws in the state”.

He urged the officers to discharge their duties responsibly and be humane to road users when necessary.