Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, took action on Tuesday by apprehending a soldier, a Lance Corporal, and several commercial motorcyclists, commonly known as Okada riders, for violating traffic rules along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in the state.
Governor Sanwo-Olu was en route to the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos, for the official unveiling of a Conference Centre donated to the institution by the former Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who currently serves as the Chief of Staff (COS) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to the Governor, Mr Wale Ajetunmobi, shared videos of the incident on his X (formerly Twitter) account, elucidating that Governor Sanwo-Olu arrested the soldier and the motorcycle riders on Tuesday morning.
“This morning, Lawless Okada riders plying one-way along Lagos-Badagry Expressway left their motorcycles and passengers upon sighting the convoy of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. One of the offenders – a lance corporal in the Army was arrested with his bike,” explained Ajetunmobi in his tweet.
Upon the governor’s convoy approaching, some motorcyclists in one of the videos were observed fleeing with their passengers to avoid arrest by the governor’s security officers, while others escaped on foot, abandoning both their motorcycles and passengers.
In the video, Governor Sanwo-Olu was heard instructing security officers to place one of the motorcyclists, who claimed to be a soldier, into the vehicle, stating that he intended to detain him.
The governor insisted on the soldier’s arrest, emphasizing that his military status was not a justification for committing the offence, and therefore, he would be detained.
“Put him there; let your father come and rescue you. You’re telling me you are a soldier; that is the reason I am going to lock you up,” asserted the governor.
Simultaneously, Governor Sanwo-Olu, while addressing a female passenger, shifted the blame to the passengers, accusing them of allowing the Okada riders to travel against traffic.
“You people are the ones causing this. Maybe I should arrest two of you and put you in the guardroom. You are entering Okada, and they are taking one way. Is it good? And they will now hit you; you will go and fall, and you die; they will say the government killed you,” remarked Governor Sanwo-Olu.
