The Lagos State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps has said that the agency might exit its current office at the Isolo Local Council Development Area Office building in Okota, Lagos.
This is following the attack on the FRSC office by a mob on Tuesday morning.
It was gathered that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, the FRSC, and Vehicle Inspection Officers among other agencies make use of the LCDA building, making them vulnerable to attacks by the mob.
It was reported on Tuesday that angry youths from Ago Palace in Okota razed facilities at the LCDA office leaving several vehicles belonging to the council damaged. The FRSC office rooms and other property were also damaged.
The youths were protesting the death of two persons during a scuffle involving LASTMA officials, a policeman and a driver in the area.
The Lagos Sector Commander, FRSC, Babatunde Farinloye, in an interview (with Punch Metro) after the incident, said such incidents had been happening before now.
“I have written a letter to the Department of State Services and they have not done anything about it. I have told the Commissioner of Police that the activities of the LASTMA people and task force are attracting attacks. Maybe with time, we may have to look for another office, either they move out or we move out,” Farinloye said.
He said whenever such operations happened, people often mistook LASTMA officials for FRSC men.
“(Some) people don’t know the difference between the Road Safety and LASTMA. For any small thing, they would say it is Road Safety officials and they start attacking the officers or our facilities,” Babatunde added.
LASTMA spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, has not responded to a message seeking the agency’s reaction as of press time.
But when contacted, the Isolo LCDA lamented property loss to the Tuesday mob action, adding that steps had been taken to avert such occurrences in the future.
“The Tuesday incident was unpalatable to us as a government. The Chairman, Bayo Olasoju, upon visiting the scene, has taken steps towards averting such happenings in the future. He’s tackling it headlong.
“We are collaborating with relevant agencies for a thorough investigation and necessary action will follow,” Rasheed Iskilu, the Chief Press Secretary to the council chairman said in a statement.
Credit: The Punch
