Last month, February 2024, the Lagos State Government (LASG) issued a warning to residents against crossing any highway in the geographical area where there is a pedestrian bridges, insisting its an offence and defaulters will be arrested and prosecuted.
Officials of the state Environmental Sanitation Corps (ESC), Kick Against Indiscipline (KIA), and other relevant law enforcement agencies, have also been directed to arrest and charge anyone caught crossing the highway to court.
“Crossing the highway is an offence in Lagos State. Lagos State government has given a marching order to the @LAGESCOfficial (KAI) Marshall and other law enforcement officials to arrest anyone crossing the highway and then charge them to court immediately,” he said, appealing for the use of pedestrian bridges across the State.
Few days after, LASG arrested two suspects accused of extorting traders and residents for using a pedestrian bridge in the Yaba axis of the state, following outcry in a viral online video where the suspects were seen carrying out the act. The suspects, whose identities were not disclosed as at press time, reportedly imposed the sum of N100 levy on each pedestrian with luggage were supposed to have been charged to court, according to Mr. Wahab.
“In response to the viral video of some miscreants extorting traders and other Lagosians on a pedestrian bridge in Yaba, I instructed the Corps Marshal of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial to immediately arrest the persons and the officer involved. They will be arraigned immediately in court while the clampdown on those on the run would continue,” Wahab submitted.
ITREALMS recent investigations showed that some of the pedestrian bridges are dangerous because of dilapidation and lack of lightening at night for such corridors, thereby making pedestrians target for hoodlums and armed robbers attacks. An example is the pedestrian bridge at Palmgrove bus stop; it was simply scary experience, deserted and used to say the least.
So, deployment of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) at the pedestrian bridges across the state, mostly at the capital city and environs, should not be under-emphasized.
Despite that efforts of LASG and Ministry of Environment and Water Resources have been commended, there is need to continuously create awareness, especially on the implications of crossing of highways, mostly where the use of pedestrian bridges have not been fully deployed before now.
LASG could also do a campaign around this by way of getting the state government to officially commission these bridges wherever they may be as a way of awareness creation.
Additionally, LASG could commission the mounting of sign-posts in all the pedestrian bridges with “DO NOT CROSS HIGHWAYS, USE THE BRIDGE. DEFAULTERS WILL BE ARRESTED, PROSECUTED” at each entry and exit, precisely at the bus stops and two sides of any given bus stop.
This has become imperative given that most bus-stops near to these pedestrian bridges across the state to afford those who may be disembarking from commercial vehicles to take note.
Aside this signposts helping as constant reminder to Lagosians, it would reduce drastically the use of fellow Lagosians as Alternative Teller Machines (ATM) by some unscrupulous members of staff of LAGESCOfficial (KAI) to name a few.
The civil societies coalition in the South-West, especially located in Lagos with focus on safety, good transport system, and good governance could also take up the aspect of beautifying Lagos bus stops with ‘Do Not Cross Highways’ signposts in collaboration with LASG and relevant ministry in particular. This is a waiting mileage for those in safety and democratic tenet sectors.
The government of Lagos State, definitely has a lot to do to gain and shore-up people's confidence in using these bridges.
RN/Editorials/DoP
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