Buy From Hawkers On the Road, Go to Jail - Ambode

Last Wednesday, around 12 noon, at Maryland Bus
Stop, along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, peace was
temporally disrupted by rampaging miscreants,
otherwise called, “Area Boys”, over alleged killing of
a hawker by a fast moving truck.
The yet to be identified middle-aged hawker, while
fleeing from law enforcement agents for fear of
arrest, suddenly ran into the truck and died on the
spot.
Consequently, Area Boys around mobilized and
started attacking, in sight, all buses operating
under the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, inflicting severe
injuries on passengers in the process.
It was gathered that the incident happened when
the hawker, a male, suddenly sighted the convoy of
officials of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), who
were returning from an operation in Ojuelegba,
enroute to Alausa, Ikeja. Apparently, thinking they
were coming for him, he fled across the road,
oblivious of the fast moving on-coming vehicle,
which is a delivery truck of a leading producer of
soft drinks, and, before any one could say “Jack
Robinson,” he had been crushed to death.
Irked by the development, the Area Boys, in their
hundreds, took t the road went after BRT buses,
smashing their screens and attacking passengers
on board.
They were alleged to have also robbed the
passengers of their belongings such as cash, bags,
and mobile phones, among others.
It took the intervention of men of the Rapid
Response Squad, RRS, Lagos Taskforce, and other
security agents to restore normalcy, but not after
over 48 buses hadbeen vandalized.
It was gathered that the hawker had been arrested
before and was released after payment of N10, 000
fine. “On the fateful day, he was trying to evade
another arrest when she met her death. It would
have been better for him to be arrested than
running to death,” an eyewitness told Sunday
Vanguard.
According to the Managing Director of Primero
Transport Services, Mr. Fola Tinubu, operator of the
damaged BRT buses, while speaking on the
incident, “Investigation revealed that our buses
were not involved in any way or form”.
Tinubu, apparently, disturbed by the level of
destruction and the sheer number of the buses
affected, said the losses, running into several
millions of naira, were a clear setback to
investment, stressing that the Nigerian public must
be educated to draw a line between private
investment and public assets.
He believed no amount of provocation should
justify the destruction of 48 new buses belonging to
a private investor who has provided over 2,500 jobs
since the commencement of operations in November
2015 and still counting.
“The blue BRT buses did not in any way, directly or
otherwise, have contact with the late young man”,
the MD stated.
“Unfortunately, suspected hoodlums took advantage
of the incident to unleash mayhem and terror on our
drivers, while also causing severe damages to our
buses at the scene of the accident. Some of our
drivers are still receiving medical treatment and
some commuters had some of their belongings
stolen.
“Damages on the buses range from broken
windshields, front, sides, rear, to side mirrors while
some had their interior dented. The buses will be
parked in our depot until repair works are carried
out which we expect to run into millions of naira”.
He however, assured that within couple of weeks,
the buses would return to the road.
Ambode fumes
Governor Akinwumi Ambode immediately ordered
full investigation into the incident.
The governor also called for thorough details into
the immediate and remote cause of the killing of the
street hawker with the aim preventing future
occurrence as well as bringing culprits to book.
Ambode, who was said to be irked by the
development, immediately, directed the police and
other security agencies to launch a manhunt for
the perpetrators and bring them to book.
He later announced commencement of total
enforcement against street trading and street
hawkers, saying that the law banning their activities
across Lagos metropolis would take its full course.
He said the renewed enforcement is in line with
Section One of the Lagos State Street Trading and
Illegal Market Prohibition Law 2003 which restricts
street trading and hawking in the metropolis.
The governor, while sympathizing with the family of
the deceased street hawker, regretted that the
situation led to the destruction of public assets.
“The issue is we need to enforce our laws because
we already have a law in respect of that and then
there is a clause in it which says the buyer and the
seller are both liable and that we are going to fine
them either N90, 000 or a six month jail term”,
Ambode said.
“What we are doing on traffic is that we are
introducing new strategies to eliminate traffic but
Lagos being a cosmopolitan city, you cannot totally
eliminate it but now this is the case, in the next few
days, you will see on the street of Lagos signs that
will be warning you that buyers and hawkers should
be aware that there are consequences,” Ambode
said. He said his administration had also concluded
plans to roll out a massive campaign which would
warn both motorists and hawkers of the restrictions
and the penalty for defaulters.
“We will be watching out for buyers and sellers and
all we need is just scapegoat. Don’t buy plantain
chips or any other items in traffic from July 1,
buyers beware”.