We Will Not Spare Any Erring Motorist ~ Lagos State Government

As the phased easing of lockdown begins in Lagos State on Monday, May 4, the state government says it will not spare any erring motorist, be it private owners or commercial operators, who fails to adhere to its new transportation guidelines.

A special task force has been formed to enforce the new guidelines which include that all commuters wear face masks, maintain social distancing in sitting arrangement and move only between 6am and 7pm every day.

The notice read, ‘Motorists are hereby advised to obey the guidelines to avoid an encounter with the Special Task Force comprising the Police, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Vehicle Inspection Service, as well as Abandoned Vehicles and Parks Monitoring Committees.

Yellow buses, popularly called ‘Danfo’, must not carry more than eight passengers (two on a row), tricycles are to carry just two passengers at the back, while private car owners must also observe social distancing.

“All commercial and commuter operations within Lagos shall be between the hours of 6am and 7pm daily. It is mandatory for all commuters to wear nose covers, wash their hands with soap under running water and, therefore, use alcohol-based sanitisers before and after each trip.”

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Saturday night, of the total 2388 coronavirus infections reported in the country, 1068 cases were recorded in Lagos with about 30 attendant fatalities and 247 recoveries, the highest by any state in Nigeria.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu recently launched the #MaskUpLagos campaign to sensitise the about 20 million population of people within the state on the need to wear face masks while in public places, observe social distancing and practice good hygiene as part of collective efforts to curb the spread of the lethal virus.