A protest by commercial drivers along the Onipanu/Palm groove axis on the Ikorodu Road in Lagos State on Monday morning has left commuters stranded.
This comes about a week after a similar protest was staged against an alleged routine and indiscriminate seizure of their vehicles by Taskforce officials at Cele Bus Stop on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
The Nation reports that the drivers were staging a protest against an alleged extortion by men of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.
Several commuters heading towards the Jibowu, Maryland, Ikeja, axis had to trek long distances after bus drivers reportedly abandoned their buses, while resistant drivers were prevented from operating by transport union members.
A Commercial bus (Danfo) driver, who spoke under anonymity, said they were protesting daily seizure of their buses and extortion by the officials.
“Drivers and owners of the buses have been at the mercy of task force and LASTMA for a long time,” a commuter added.
However, speaking exclusively to WuzupNigeria, the Public Relations Officer of LASTMA, Mr. Olumide FIlade, said that the protest is not against LASTMA but against the activities of Task Force.
“It’s not about LASTMA, it’s about Task Force. It has started since last week in different areas and even task force is already there. We are just doing our normal work,” he said.
Asked what has been done to resolve the issue, he said, “Since it does not concern us, I can’t speak on it. It would be very wrong of me to speak on it because I don’t have information.”
Meanwhile, efforts to reach the task force agency has not been successful as of the time of filing this report.
