The Lagos State Government has clarified the misconception surrounding the unfortunate incident where a street hawker was knocked down by an oncoming truck at Maryland Bus Stop on Wednesday. The street hawker, who was trying to evade arrest from officials of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), had attempted to cross the road before being hit by the truck, which was erroneously thought to be a BRT Bus.
As a result, hoodlums armed
with sticks and stones, immediately descended on some BRT buses plying the
route as at the time of the incident and in the process destroyed several of
the BRT buses.
But the Government in a
statement signed the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve
Ayorinde, said that contrary to the information being circulated in the social
media that the street hawker was hit by a BRT bus, it was a truck belonging to
a soft drink company that unfortunately hit the boy.
“It wasn’t any of our buses
that killed him (hawker), it was a soft drink company truck that unfortunately
crushed the boy while he was trying to escape from KAI officers who were on
patrol trying to rid the street of street hawkers and traders.
“But hoodlums now took
advantage of that to start destroying government assets, including several of
the brand new BRT buses,” he said.
Ayorinde said it took the
intervention of a team from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) to quell the riotous
scene caused by the hoodlums before the corpse of the boy was taken to the
morgue at the General Hospital, Ikeja.
The Commissioner said that at
least three hoodlums alleged to have been part of the mob that destroyed the
BRT buses have been arrested, saying that the law would take its full course.
“The Lagos State Government
would like to use this opportunity to further reiterate that it would not
relent in ridding the state of illegality, street trading and hawking,” he
said.
Ayorinde said that Section one
of the Lagos State Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law 2003,
restricts street trading and hawking in the metropolis, while Sections Seven
and Eight of the same law gives jurisdiction and power to the Special Court to
order the seizure and public auction of items impounded from street traders.
Section 10 of the law, he
said, also prescribes a N5000 fine or three months imprisonment upon
conviction.
“Street traders are hereby
urged to desist from this illegal activity because the government will not be
blackmailed and would do that which is necessary.
“And for the miscreants and
hoodlums, the Lagos State Government and the Police Command would not allow any
act of civil disobedience and those arrested would be dealt with in accordance with
the law and further arrests would be made as investigation continues,” he said.
SIGNEDSTEVE AYORINDE
COMMISSIONER FOR INFORMATION AND STRATEGY
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