By Araoluwa Idowu
“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,” that was the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab in February.
As at the time, there were deployments of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) across major highways including the popular Ikorodu road – the major gateway into the state.
Today, eight months later, the situation has gone from bad to worse. Although there were teams of operatives stationed at key bus stops to arrest or redirect offenders, most of the mode teams have disappeared.
In Ojota for example, the teams are almost always three but how many offenders have they prosecuted? EveryDayLagos witnessed the arrest of a few pedestrians who were taken into the LAGESC trucks but later released after allegedly parting with fees ranging between ₦5,000 to ₦10,000.
“This is a daily occurrence,” a trader returning from Mile 12 volunteered in a conversation. “I don’t support people crossing the expressway when there are two bridges here,” she cautioned.
Many residents have been knocked down by speeding vehicles over time while crossing the highway. This is why the state government provided over-head bridges at various points on the expressway in the first place. Although not properly maintained, there are pedestrian bridges along at Onipanu, Fadeyi, Palmgroove and Anthony for example, prefer dashing across the busy road than making use of them.
In order to ensure adherence to the state’s order restraining pedestrians from dashing across, the government sent security teams to the various bridges, unfortunately, residents fail to make use of the bridges and would rather cross the express, risking their lives and disobeying the strict orders of the government.
Bridges located at Onipanu and Palmgroove are almost totally neglected as only few pedestrians make use of them. A large number of people who fail to use the bridges claim that it is quite stressful ascending and descending the bridge and would rather cross the express to save their time and themselves from stress.
Others say, they would rather risk their lives crossing because of the alleged robbery incidents recorded on the bridges. A lot of people disclosed to having been assaulted on the bridge by hoodlums and bandits – in the process losing their properties even during the day.
As a result, the fear of urban mugging has kept pedestrians off the bridge. “I would rather cross the express no matter how dangerous it seems” a resident told our reporter. It is as unsafe to cross the road as it is to use the bridge”.
In addition, improper care for the bridges is absent. This is an alibi used as discouragement for some. With ripped off roofs and shaky railings, some pedestrians find it odd to make use of bridges.
While concerns raised against the state of the bridges are valid, the state government can conduct more enlightenment and honest enforcement to deter residents from committing suicide.
CCTVs, lights and transparent side panels can help others see what’s going on on the bridge in the short term.
