Police and soldier breaks Fashola's Law

Uniformed man on a Bike 

Following the Ban of motorcycle popularly known as "Okada" Observation reported by PUNCH newspaper has shown that there is an upsurge of uniform men plying restricted roads with both registered and unregistered motorcycles . according the reports, the number of men of the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Army who break the Lagos Traffic Law has increased, and the law seemed to have affected only the common man on the street.

Some of the roads monitored by Punch were Obafemi Awolowo Way, Oba Akinjobi Road, Ojuelegba, Ikorodu Road, Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Road, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway,  Police and soldier were seen flouting the law and riding their bikes without inhibition the report further stressed that  dozen policemen attached to the Area F Police Command, on Oba Akinjobi Road, Ikeja, rode bikes to resume work, Some policemen were also seen riding into the Police Training School adjacent Area F Police Command. standing at the Onigbongbo end of Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Road for some  minutes one can count the huge number of  uniformed men riding motorcycles on the road. Reactions from the public suggest that the way uniformed men broke the law makes it look as if they are exempted from its provisions.
One Yemi who spoke with Punch said  “You hardly see civilians riding motorcycles on Oba Akinjobi Road because of the fear that the policemen in Area F Command would impound their motorcycles. 

“But you see, policemen, military and paramilitary men riding motorcycles on Oba Akinjobi Road.

“They break all the rules associated with the law by not wearing safety helmets, carrying more than one person and even riding unregistered motorcycles. This is flagrant disobedience of the law. I expect that the area commander should have called them to order.” 

The Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, said the provisions and enforcement of the law did not exclude policemen.

She, however, added that the state government had given waivers to policemen riding motorcycles while putting on uniforms because “they are the ones enforcing the traffic law.”

Braide said, “We (the police) held a meeting with the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, and other state traffic management officials sometimes in November.

“At the meeting, it was agreed that policemen riding motorcycles while putting on their uniform would be exempted because they are the ones enforcing the traffic law.

“But, policemen putting on uniform who carry passengers on mufti would be arrested together with the co-riders. Also, policemen on mufti riding alone will also be arrested.” 

The Public Relations Officer, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Kayode Ogunsanya, said soldiers in the state “are not excluded from the traffic law.”

He said, “We have discussed the issue of the state traffic law with our men in several fora and their commanders have been told to ensure that their men comply with the law.

“If soldiers break the law, the traffic enforcement officials are duty-bound to arrest them because soldiers are meant to obey laws too.”

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