As Touts Take over Lagos Uncontrollably

  POLITICAL NOTES

The setting ablaze of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle in Ogudu, along the Oworonshoki Expressway, in Lagos, last Wednesday was a sad reminder of the evil effects of the takeover of Lagos State by touts and street urchins, who take the laws into their hands at every opportunity.

 A commercial bus was coming from Lagos Island, heading to Ojodu Berger when it lost control along the Ifako Bridge and collided with the BRT vehicle.

The accident drew the anger of hoodlums who vandalised the BRT bus and set it ablaze after they learnt that the commercial bus driver died on the spot.

 According to a statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LATSMA), Adebayo Taofiq, seven passengers were injured in the crash.

The statement confirmed that hoodlums in the area set ablaze the bus belonging to the Lagos State Bus Service Limited.

 “The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Bolaji Oreagba, however, warned members of the public particularly street urchins not to take laws into their hands at any accident scene but to allow appropriate authorities to do the needful.”

One of the fallouts of the October 2020 #EndSARS protests was the takeover of Lagos State by touts and hoodlums who block the highways to extort commercial vehicles, heavy duty trucks and other road users.

They attack and kill motorists and set ablaze their vehicles at the slightest provocation.

Hiding under the cover of the #EndSARS protests, these hoodlums had set ablaze 80 BRT vehicles in Oyingbo and Ojodu Berger areas of the state.

The destruction of private and public property in Lagos by the hoodlums was however said to have been triggered by an alleged attack on the once-peaceful protesters by thugs allegedly sponsored by the state.

Apparently overwhelmed by the level of destruction caused by these hoodlums during the #EndSARS crisis, the state government appeared to have allowed them to take over the roads and extort road users.

However, the number of these touts increased astronomically at the end of the general election after they were allegedly used by politicians to attack and intimidate voters and snatch election materials.

Today, not only have become emboldened, the impunity with which they cause gridlock, extort private and commercial vehicles, company buses, heavy duty vehicles and other road users clearly demonstrates the complicity of the different authorities, including the security agencies in this illegal enterprise.