Since the birth of the Lagos Traffic Law, 2012, fears have gripped motorcyclists in the state. Reason: The police have allegedly capitalised on the policy to feed fat on them through unlawful arrests, especially on unrestricted minor roads.
The motorcyclists had on many instances alleged that the police unlawfully arrested them, demanding between N15, 000 and N20, 000 from them to bail their motorcycles.
These reporters have witnessed such an incident. It was at about 3.30pm. Shell-shocked, onlookers gathered along the popular Ladipo Road, Mushin, to behold what they described as policemen’s “recklessness and injustice against other Nigerians.”
Down the road, about four police vehicles, marked, ‘Taskforce,’ drove against traffic in an attempt to arrest motorcyclists who had allegedly run foul of the traffic law.
As it obtains in horror movies, the policemen brandished their batons and used their guns to hit motorcyclists in a desperate bid to impound the bikes.
Not satisfied at the number of motorcycles they had impounded, two of the vehicles (marked FKJ449AM and FKJ450) drove against traffic and screeched to a halt behind a stationary lorry.
Behind the lorry were four well-cleaned motorcycles, which were chained down by their owners, who presumably live within the area.
The reporters parked their vehicle off the road and trekked towards the direction of the vehicles only to see the policemen shattering the chains on with hammers. They eventually packed the bikes into their vehicle.
The reporters sought to know if impounding motorcycles parked off the road was the position of the law. One of the police officers – Sunday Kolawole – who drove the vehicle marked FKJ449AM, hollered: “What is your business here? Won’t you people go where you are going or do you want to teach us our job? The law empowers us to arrest every motorcycle we see; whether on or off the road!”
“But these motorcycles are not plying the major roads at the moment. They were washed and even parked behind this lorry. What you people are doing is unlawful and unjust. Why do you want to punish the owners for doing nothing?” The reporters and bystanders cut in.
One of the policemen ignored the condemnation, saying: “You people should come to Alausa to prove that the okadas were parked. You are only making things difficult for the owners by asking all these questions; we did not plan to carry them to Alausa before, but we will now. Since you are their lawyers, follow us to Alausa to argue their cases.”
As people booed the policemen for the “illegality,” Kolawole threatened to slap one of the reporters for attracting the crowd. Their vehicle almost hit him as they zoomed off.
An affected motorcyclist, who was simply identified as Taye, said: “Since the passage of this law, the fear of the police is the beginning of wisdom. Instead of sanctioning okada riders on the expressways and other major roads, the police have turned it against riders in the streets. We no longer work freely; every Sunday you see police vehicles inside all the streets in this Mushin – from Alausa and Area Command – and even OP MESA. They all go after us as a cheap way to make money.
“What is our offence now? I did not even work today; my bike has been parked since morning and I washed it in preparation for tomorrow only for them to come here, cut the chain and impounded it. Do they want us to go and start stealing? The government should look into this law because it has created an avenue for the police to extort money.”
“They (police) have “area boys” who collect money on their behalf from those guys plying the expressway. The governor should intervene in this matter. He should put spies in place to monitor the activities of these policemen and he will see that they are just making illegal money,” said Taye.
Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Damasus Ozoani said: “We have been hearing these allegations since Okada was banned on some roads. The allegation is untrue; rather, it is a ploy to distract our duty-conscious policemen. Visit police stations and area commands and see the number of seized bikes.
“If their allegations were true, the command would have known. We have policemen whose duty is to monitor how others perform their duties. Police will continue to perform all lawful duties including enforcement of traffic laws.”
However, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye said parked motorcycles can only be impounded if the police have video evidence showing that the arrested motorcycle was plying a restricted route before it parked.
