Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, arrestedtwo military officers who drove on the dedicated Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, lane.
The two military officers, who were accosted on the BRT lane at the Outer Marina in Central Lagos, were Colonel K. I. Yusuf, who drove in an Army Green Peugeot 406 with registration Number BO1 – 150 NA and Staff Sergeant Adeomi A.J, who drove in a black Toyota Camry car.
Realising that the game was up, Col. Yusuf came down from his car, saluted several times and keptmuttering: “I am sorry, very, very sorry” with the governor enquiring why, a senior military officer, Yusuf, chose to break the law instead of preserving it.
Speaking after the incident, Fashola described as very unfortunate the fact that those who ought to stand behind in defence of democratic values were the ones violating them.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT…Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, (right) asking Colonel K. I. Yusuf why he drove on the BRT lane illegally, when he was apprehended being driven in an Army Green Peugeot 406 with number-plate BO1-150 NA at Outer Marina in Central Lagos, yesterday.
Fashola, who noted that the highest level of the military command had expressed their commitment to supporting democracy and to subjecting themselves and their officers to the laws of the country, declared: “Those officers that I caught today are very bad examples for the military.”
The governor said he had already made a representation to the superiors of the culprits, expressing optimism that they would be sanctioned appropriately.
He, however, added, “But it signifies my commitment and the commitment of the Lagos State Government that all those who will not comply with our laws should leave our state. We will notback down”.
“There is a zero-tolerance for lawlessness. There is zero-tolerance for breach of our regulations and we are going to do more of this. We are going to take control of our traffic. We cannot build our way out of trafficcongestion; our responsibility is to manage traffic and manage congestion.”
Insisting that people must behavethemselves, Fashola declared, “I don’t use BRT lane, I sit in traffic and I expect everyone who wantsto drive his car to do same. The alternative is to use the bus.
“The bus is for those who cannot afford to buy cars. They have the right also to use the road and we cannot encroach on that lane which we have reserved for them.This is democratisation of the road and I will defend it.”
Source: Vanguard