Truck Drivers Defy Lagos, Navy Order to Vacate Bridges

By Bennett Oghifo

Truck and tanker drivers have defied a 48-hour ultimatum by the Lagos State Government and the Nigerian Navy to vacate all bridges in the state to avoid disasters and economic loss to the nation.

The order, which lapsed yesterday, was given on Wednesday, this week at a stakeholders’ meeting, held at Naval Base in Apapa.

Convener of the meeting, the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Adm. Sylvanus Abbah, appealed to the tanker drivers to leave the bridge to prevent terrorists from taking advantage of the situation, as well as prevent the bridges from collapsing from the dead weight they are not designed to carry.

He said, “Costain is going to be the turning point of the trucks. After 48 hours, no truck will park on the bridge because of national interest and I hope you will all take the decision of this meeting.”

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Mr Taiwo Salau, said, “There should be synergy among security agencies so that these areas can be cleaned up and have a check point before the long bridge.”

The meeting was attended by officials of the Lagos state government, the military, the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), and the Nigerian Union Petroleum Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

Also present at the meeting were officers of the Nigerian Police, Dangote Group, Apapa Residents Association, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Apapa Government Reserved Area Residents Association, among others.

It is uncertain what the next move of the Military authorities and the Lagos State Government would be, as the ultimatum given the offending truck and tanker drivers remain lapsed yesterday..