The Management of Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Sector Command has decried the impunity and lawlessness by some security operatives providing escorts to VIPs on the road, saying their disregard to traffic law is inimical to safety and free flow of traffic.
The Sector Commander of the FRSC in Lagos, Olusegun Ogungbemide, made this known in a statement on Tuesday.
This followed the traffic gridlock caused by one-way driving by some police escorts of a supposed VIP in Ibafo area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at about 7am on Monday, with the policemen attacking FRSC operatives from Ibafo Outpost, who were trying to ease the gridlock.
Ogungbemide said the FRSC personnel on traffic control from Ibafo Outpost noticed a standstill traffic situation on the outward Lagos section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and made effort to track the cause of the heavy movement.
In the course of doing that, they discovered that at Mountain Top University area, a convoy of four vehicles with Police escort was driving against the flow of traffic, thereby causing gridlock within the narrowed lane.
The FRSC team led by the Outpost head approached the police operatives, insisted that the vehicles turn back and follow their rightful lanes, but the drivers and the escort refused to obey their plea.
Ogungbemide added: “Rather, one of the Policemen pointed his riffle at our men and threatened to shoot at them.
“Also another of the policemen sighted a Marshal who was recording the happenings around the scene, he rushed to the Marshal with his riffle, snatched the phone and smashed it on the road damaging the phone completely.
“Eventually, the policemen realized that the FRSC operatives weren’t going to give in they arrogantly turned back and followed the right lane.”
Ogungbemide said the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has frowned at the act and therefore directed that the affected operatives and their vehicles be prosecuted for traffic violation and assault on its personnel.
He added: “It is a known fact that the high echelon of all Agencies are never in support of the misconduct of these disgruntled few.”
Ogungbemide also warned that this lawlessness will no longer be accepted and promised to prosecute any security operative who attacks any of its personnel while discharging their lawful duties to safeguard lives on the roads.
He advised motorists to desist from driving against the flow of traffic and always adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations.